Earth Art – Interview With Rejane Dal Bello

Inspired by the enormity and beauty of the world around us, Brazilian artist Rejane Dal Bello creates otherworldly collages from actual segments of Google satellite maps in her latest project, Earth Art. With a background in graphic design, it’s no wonder that Rejane’s first dip into the artistic pool is a unique style that encompasses her talents and interests. The artist uses technology to bring the Earth to life in new and unexpected ways, giving the viewer an entirely different perspective on our home planet. Even though her art career is just starting out, Rejane has gained international recognition through her graphic design work for prominent companies and foundations in Europe and South America. She is regularly featured in international publications and also gives workshops and lectures around the world. We talked to Dal Bello about the inspiration behind the Earth Art Project and her unique technique.

What inspired you to begin using Google Earth as the basis for your artworks?

I have always been fascinated by this technology. For the first time, we can look at the world from a totally different perspective, navigate it, and get a sneak peek of places that would never be able to visit. It is unbelievable and so amazing. Even seeing the street you grew up on from above changes your understanding, bringing philosophical thoughts and adjusting expectations.
This project was a process that’s been in motion for at least 2 years. I started collecting Google satellite images and kept them all in a folder, not knowing what I was going to do with them. One day, as I was admiring the images, I started to see patterns and came to a realization that they were incredibly artistic. A mountain, my house, and especially the rivers looked as if they were created by brush strokes. I started with the rivers of Kenya, Turkey and more, and created a new world through collage; a world based on the Google satellite images but re-creating a world closer to art: Earth Art.

I invented a world for myself, world where the landscape is a reference from art, artists, and artistic movements. After creating new landscapes I created a brand new world – Earth Art world. The video gives a 360º view of the idea.

Do you search Google Earth for specific visuals or do you browse until you find something interesting?

I browse until I find something interesting or go to places where I’ve never been and that I’m curious about. I especially like to search the ocean and the clouds. It is fascinating. It is like being an astronaut, but right from inside your house!

Is your method more formulated or spontaneous?

It depends. When I started it was more spontaneous. I think that’s how we discover things. The idea came once I recognized the patterns and saw that the river could be a painting. After I did one image the concept started to form and I began to consciously choose pieces that would refer to a specific artist or movement. I captured 200 images in total – I could not stop.

What scale do you prefer to work on? Zoomed out on a general region or more focused on a particular scene?

Both. I do what the concept requires me to do. Owing to my previous works in the same medium, I have learned to improvise and experiment with the images, separating some and combining others.

What scale do you prefer to work on? Zoomed out on a general region or more focused on a particular scene?

Both. I did what the concept required me to do. Sometimes zoomed and other times further away, which was the result of my research and collections of satellite images from one year before.

Is your interest in a particular region ever brought on by a fascination with that part of the world or just by the aesthetics of the map in satellite view?

It depends solely on the aesthetics of the map in satellite view. I think every region is fascinating!

Do you prefer to keep the identity of the original satellite coordinates?

I would prefer it if the original identity was completely lost, however, that would result in the reference to Google Earth being lost as well. Some images are easily recognizable as Google satellite images whereas as some which are more abstract look very different from their original identity.

Are people surprised when they learn that your images were originally taken from snapshots of Google maps?

People are puzzled due to the obscure nature of my works and they’re often curious to know what it is and how I created it. Most images seem like Google images at first, but once you really look at them, you start to notice a shape or a figure referencing Vermeer or a classic Maria painting within the landscape. The work forces your mind to look beyond the familiar surface image.

 

Rajane Dal Bello is an award-winning artist and graphic designer. Her works have recently been exhibited and acquired by the National Hangeul Museum in Seoul, South Korea. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Dal Bello currently lives and works in London. Visit her ARTmine Page to learn more.