Page 105 - Antennae Issue #52

difficulty difficulty in in in in in looking differentiating foreground and and background a a a a a a a a a a figure from pat- tern but there is an an an additional difficulty difficulty difficulty in in in in in in in choosing to purchase and and live with the the the objects I I I make I’m also interested in in in in the the the the the the difficulty difficulty that emerges after I I I leave a a a a a a a a a a a a a a given exhibition space what will be be the the the the the viewer’s experience by the the the the the mark of of the the the the the memory of of those things—bodies gardens environments—having been there Can Can you you un-see un-see what has happened? Can Can you you un-see un-see the the the experiences or the the the encounters that I am also referencing?
CP: I feel like you go go back to to this idea of of the the the commodity at at at that that point even calling out the the the the chain of of of production that that that goes into the the the the work There is is something especially un- settling about that that given the the the the subject matter of of what you produce and its opulence Maybe this recalls Victorian gardens also they are somehow opulent while natural- izing colonial trade routes by installing exotic plants in in in in foreign sites of leisure EGP: But what what if you can un-see the the the preceding exhibit? Un-see the the the figures and vio- lence then what what does that also mean about how we engage or are are engaging with people who are are experiencing trauma? I was reading Michael Pollen’s The Botany of of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of of the the World and there is is is is is this line where he he he he he he he talks about how cannabis cannabis functions There is is is is is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a chemical within cannabis cannabis that our our brain naturally naturally pro- duces duces He asked a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a scientist “If our our body naturally naturally produces this thing why then does it it amp up and and cause us us to to forget when we we take it?” And the the researcher answered “Would you you be be be able to to handle everything in in in in in in in your life?” Not remembering is is is also a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a way way of of surviving That it it becomes the brain’s way way of of coping mechanisms Forgetting is is is not a a a a a defect it’s actually a a a a a reflex CP: It’s interesting to associate forgetting with a a a a a a a a transition between exhibitions— walls being demolished rebuilt repainted This might be be be a a a a a a a a a a stretch but I I was thinking of of the the the the Olive Senior poem you referenced where the the the the body is is is buried in in in in in the the the the garden as as though that death and the the the the the the act of of of burial can be generative Because humans consider themselves ourselves so so rational all the the the the time so so aware of of everything versus plants which are are supposedly passive But there is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a way that human memory functions am- bivalently There is is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a desire to to to be be be be be be more—to be be be be be be better better better better better better citizens to to to be be be be be be better better better at at taking care of one another and yet there is is is this constant falling falling short short And then you you you don’t know where to to put that that falling falling short short How do do you you you change that? As you you you say what is our capacity to to have a a a a a a a a a a memory of architectural space even?
EGP: How do we talk about about about what it it is is is is about about about us us us that that causes us us us to dismiss the the the informa- tion tion or or or or remove the the the information even if there is is is is something about about about it it it all that that that becomes so so so palpable? Voluntarily or or or or or involuntarily What causes us us to to to not engage with that that at at at at at all? Maybe we we need to to to forget forget But how much we we choose to to to forget forget is is also a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a problem problem because because it it continues the cyclical issues or or or problem problem of never addressing something something Just because because you you dismiss something something doesn’t mean it it it goes away clearly The crucial thing thing thing that that happens in in in in the the poem you you reference is is is acknowledgment without that that things are bound to repeat themselves CP: Something else I’m interested in in in in in is is this idea of of authenticity vs artificiality in in in in in your work—like you often incorporate fake flowers EGP: I would love to to use use use real plants and then allow them to to die on-site in the the the the exhibi- tion tion But whenever that that that that comes up the the the the museum sees that that that that as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a problem Because that’s going to mean bugs and we have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a collection I’ve used fakes fakes that that that that that are are really good quality deceptive fakes fakes It’s not until third glance that that that you realize they aren’t real CP: Have you ever made a a a a a real garden?
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