Maps of Layered Stratum

Text by Premjish Achari
December 1, 2023 - January 7, 2024 

The soil is a timeless battleground where civilizations have clashed and empires both flourished and perished. Its dusty foundation holds the tokens of a forgotten age, buried in the shifting earth of my forefathers’ battlefields. The land remembers those who fought long ago, preserving their footsteps in its enduring embrace - so that the weight of history may always find a home. The soils of our world are a testament to the movements of those who have crossed seas and borders as nomads, bearing with them the grains of their homeland. As these adventurers set down roots in foreign lands, they carried with them a piece of their own earth, creating mixtures of soil that tell tales from every corner of the globe. These soils remain reminders of a world constantly on the move, driven by an insatiable urge for exploration that begins and ends in the nomad's restless heart.
Alex Davis' pieces powerfully express the layered histories of place, often conveying forgotten emotions and movements that still deeply reverberate through the land today. The meticulous strokes of Davis' brush allow tangled layers of earth to come alive, forming new maps that illuminate the hidden world of human identity. His textured illustrations, like pages in a mysterious book, draw us into the depths of the Earth's story and send us spinning down the vortex of time. By unravelling the tales of our earth, he has created a cartography so vivid and immersive that its beauty surpasses traditional depictions of our nation—a geo-biography begging to be explored. The earthy, tangible textures of his creations are a powerful ode to the ancient secrets of nature. He shapes the earth in his sculptures, as if it were alive, transforming it into an entity that seems to embody our planet's very spirit and soul. In its depths, Davis uncovers the vital rhythm of Earth's beating heart. His art takes us on a journey through time, showing us lost labor and conflict, the movement of migrations, and the complex beauty of our planet. He takes these stories and forms them into a gorgeous texture that reveals the essence of the land.
Davis’ “Maps of Layered Stratum” provides one such invitation for viewers to embark on a journey untold, an experience whose magnificence shall remain undeterred even by the sweep of years. His works are captivating studies into our shared past and present, inviting viewers to explore every corner of these cultural stratums. Davis dives deep into our collective history and present, beckoning onlookers to comb through each layer of these geographical terrains, prompting examinations of every crevice of these layered constructs.
-  Premjish Achari