Biophilia, Nature and Decoration

Illustration: Hargreaves. Printed textile design, 1849.

Biophilia is the concept that humans have an innate biological need for a consistent connection with nature for their physical, mental and social well-being. It is this connection, or lack of, that gives us either a harmonious balance within ourselves, or a build-up of frustrations, alienation, illness and aggressive and unbalanced behaviour. Although the connection between the human species and its natural surroundings is by no means a new discovery, tagging the phenomena with the term biophilia does allow it to become both a contemporary talking point and focus for debate and exploration.

Although biophilia and biophilic design is mostly concerned with architecture and the human environment, allowing a mixture of man-made and natural phenomena within mostly urban environments, there is a case for expanding at least the general understanding of biophilia, to include the human decorative experience, with its innate need for stimulus and expression from the natural world. The potential of nature based decoration producing a similar harmonic balance within humans, certainly when compared to the minimal aesthetics expanded from the Modernist era, is perhaps self-evident. Considering the thousands of years of near constant nature-based human decoration compared to the few decades where lack of decoration was seen more as an intellectual gesture rather than an emotional one, it is perhaps hard not to see the connection.

Illustration: Photo taken in the local environment by the author, June 2012.

Biophilia sees decoration and ornamentation as natural analogues, that is secondary stimulation, in other words a connection with nature that is removed from direct contact, a representation of the real. However, despite the fact that decoration can only represent elements of the natural world through different mediums such as textiles, ceramics, glass, wood and metal for example, the connection is much more fundamental than just one that is visually motivated. Humans have spent most of their life as a species connected to nothing but the natural world. Our urban societies are a near-contemporary phenomenon and are therefore not really connected with the many memories and deep-rooted attachments to nature that were formed over countless generations. It is this attachment that has made nature-based decoration such a fundamental core value in human decorative arts.

The urban experience is often blamed for the uncoupling of humanity from its attachment to the natural environment, eventually resulting in indifference, neglect, even alienation of the environment outside of the city landscape, and certainly affecting our responsibilities towards a harmonious natural environment. City life in many respects can appear artificial and divorced from the world around it and certainly in a number of cases from the planet itself. Biophilia means to reconnect urban humanity with its long-time partner, nature. However, I wonder whether the link has ever been truly broken in all human concepts. Physically and practically, many of our urban environments contain much more concrete than plant life and creating an environmental harmony between the two may take some time or never really be achieved satisfactorily. 

 Illustration: Example of crewel embroidery work, 19th century.

Although many may not have the luxury or opportunity to experience nature as an enveloping partner in life, many still have emotional and spiritual connections with the natural world. That these are often manifested through decoration found on personal possessions such as jewellery, clothing and skin, personal or communal spaces, online personas and many other forms of personal and public contemporary life, shows how important the connection with nature still is for many. The old and faithful relationship between human and their natural environment is still jealously guarded by many and is manifested in a number of small ways whether that be physically through a flowering plant or compact herb garden, or imaginatively through the idealism of a perfect retreat which is very often set into or surrounded by a natural landscape.

By reinforcing our love of nature through the use of decoration and pattern within all of the mediums at the disposal of the artist, designer or maker, whether through industry or craft, allows us to constantly reaffirm our connection with the natural world. Many may find themselves living in a largely man-made environment, but flora and fauna decoration, whether through big flowers on a pair of curtains, leaves on a wallpaper, birds on a bed cover, unconsciously and consciously connect us with the life of our ancestors and the natural and real environment of the planet.

Illustration: Ceramic mural from the Mosque of Ibrahim Agha.

Artists, designers and makers will never tire of reinterpreting nature through fine art, pattern and craft. It is this continual and constant use of nature as first hand inspirational source material that keeps many in the creative community permanently in a state of wonder at the many manifestations of the natural world.

Further reading links:

Classically Derived Ceramic Floor Designs

Illustration: Minton and Co. Ceramic Floor Design, 1851.

The Gothic Revival period of the mid-nineteenth century onwards can sometimes seem all-pervasive and it is therefore standard to see all companies supplying the interiors market with a preponderance of medieval inspired decorative work. However, as with all things, nothing is ever quite as neat, tidy and simple as some would perhaps prefer.

As with any period of the decorative arts, despite the fact that many are swept along within the framework of fashion and contemporary style often dictated by self-proclaimed arbiters of taste, much also depends on the more intimate and individual critique of personal taste and the perception and projection of the uniqueness of the individual. Of course, much also depends on actual and perceived status and in this respect companies that supplied the decorative official state and private domestic market were more than willing to cater.

Minton and Co which is a company very much associated with the Gothic Revival, they did after all produce ceramic tile work supplied by the designer who most saw as being if not the originator of the movement, then at least one of its most vociferous champions, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. However, the company also produced decorative work that could only be described as being within the classical mould. 

The two examples illustrating this article were published in 1851 and show plans for ceramic floor designs that are entirely classically motivated. Interestingly, they were shown within a publication alongside their more easily recognised medieval styled work. Although much has been said of the 'Battle of the Styles,' the famous arrangement whereby classical derived architecture and decoration was firmly locked in a bitter and often acrimonious public debate, some would say battle to the death, with medieval derived architecture and decoration, it was perhaps not all that it might have seemed, at least to many of the companies that supplied decorative to both sides of the argument. It seems sometimes as if the posturing was a little magnified, a little over-blown and certainly fuelled by those who had most to gain or lose in the public argument. Companies such as Minton and Co could not afford to alienate customers, potential or otherwise and therefore took the pragmatic option of supplying both camps with the best decorative work they could offer.

 Illustration: Minton and Co. Ceramic floor design, 1851.

It is sometimes a mistake to think that a particularly pervasive and instantly recognisable decorative style such as that of the Gothic Revival was equally all-pervasive in the market place and this can never be fully true. Although historically it makes more logical and orderly sense to place one style after another, the reality makes much less sense. Some of the debate and personal choice between classical and gothic has undoubtedly to do with perception. The classical was very much associated with the rural living aristocracy, whilst the gothic was equally associated with the new middle class and the rise of urban living. However, some of the old aristocracy took the gothic to heart and a percentage of the new middle class tried to ape their perceived betters by building in the classical. 

Either way, Minton and Co produced a couple of decorative floor designs that were probably some of the best work available during the 1850s. The colours are crisp and the decoration itself, whilst involved, is relatively quiet and contained. They are perhaps in many respects all that was expected of a classically inspired decorative interior. They may well not have been entirely correct in their exactitude and certainly during this period leeway was given to a sometimes creative approach to both the classical and medieval. However, Minton and Co were one of the better companies and had a relatively high status in both finished product and development of creative ideas.

As an interesting side issue concerning the animosity between classical and medieval inspirations, there have been a number of articles written concerning the difference in the outward projection of governments depending on whether they inhabit buildings that are classical, gothic or otherwise. Some have even suggested that Britain may well have seen its own projection slightly differently if it had had a classically inspired Houses of Parliament rather a gothic. Although this can never really be proved one way or the other it is a fascinating insight into perhaps the effect architecture and decoration can have on a nation or at least its outward projection, as well as its own self-belief.

Further reading links: