Inspired by victorian author, Owen Jones’ The Grammar of Ornament, Austin used Bunchberry as an exploration in both symmetry and color. Interestingly, the key ornament here resembles in large part a fleur-de-lis (the same ornament used in Boreal IV – a work not displayed within Boreal Ornament III). This fleur-de-lis-esque pattern creates an interesting array of positive and negative space that is both symmetrical and complicated. Vertical color fields add a layer of brilliance to these repeating ornaments that looks as though it’s merely reflecting off of the pattern instead of part of the pattern itself.

Some of the findings from Bunchberry would go on to influence the next four years of Austin’s work.