Page 29 - Antennae Issue #52

Atextileofplantrootsisanew material and has never been used for a a a a a material application I see it as a a a challenge to develop the material to such an extent that it can be applied for ex- ample in in the textile industry At my my my exhibition Hyper Rhizome I I I show a a a a a a a a a a a a selection of of our experiments It hasn’t changed my my my practise as as as an an an an artist I I I can easily separate my my my autonomic work from these excursions to to to science They are are learning moments for me me and and often they are are helpful I experience it it it as inspiring and and it it it supports my autonomous practice My visual back- ground gives me the the the opportunity to to to approach the the the world of science in in in in an an an open-minded way and make it it accessible to to the the the viewer through my work DSa: In the the the invite to your new exhibition Hyper Rhizome the the the work of of Charles Darwin Darwin is is mentioned especially his book The Power of of of Movement in in in in in in in Plants Does Darwin Darwin the the the the bota- nist influence your your thinking about plants? And if if so so are there any particular aspects of of his work that resonate with with your your current entanglements with with plant-life?
DSh: When I I I became interested in in in in the the the root system I I I came came across the the the experiments of Charles and Francis Darwin Darwin From the the the the the the Darwins I I I learned that plants did not belong where they were classified by Aristotle: at at at the the the the bottom of of the the the the hierarchy of of living nature just a a a a a a a decor for man and animal Their research helped me me to better understand my own root root root observations They They experimented a a a a a a a a a a a a a lot with the the the the dynamics of the the the the roots They They described the the the the root root root apex as a a a a a a a a a a a a a ‘brain- like’ organ I I found that exciting The The book describes their botanical experiments with with the the the movements of of various plant plant parts and and development stages of of the the the plant plant root I I I I found that very helpful My approach is intuitive and and I I I I work with with my imagination but I I I I find the the the the confirmation from the the the the scientific world a a a a a a a a a a a a a a pleasant addition In the the the the book The Pow- er er er er of of of Movements of of of Plants the the the the the ‘intelligence’ of of of plants is is is seriously considered and tested the the first time In my work Exercises in in in Rootsystem Domestication I I use this dynamic/intel- ligence They describe how roots do do do not passively grow down down but move and and and observe observe A root root navigates knows what’s up and and and and down down observes gravity and and and and localizes moisture and chemicals For the the the the the project I I developed a a a a technique to guide the the the the the growth of of the the the the the plant root root With the the the the the the the the help of of underground underground templates templates I I control the the the the the the the the root root root system During the the the the the the the the growing pro- cess the the the the the the roots conform to to underground underground templates templates and the the the the the the textile textile weaves or or braids itself In this project I I apply the the the strength of nature to to weave a a a a a a textile textile DSa: The Netherlands is is known for its horticultural production: fields of of tulips and and ranges of of of vegetable growing glasshouses This industrial approach creates a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a particular aesthetic of of of and relationship to to the the the plant-world against which your productions seem to to be more consciously associated with with characteristics of of of the the the the growth entangled with with plants and yet the the the titles of of your your work acknowledge your your domesticating role Do you you you feel a a a a a a a a a a a a a tension here? Is it it it a a a a a a a a a a a a a conscious commentary on on on on on the the the the current relationship between much of the the the urban human population and the the the plant community?
DSh: My projects are certainly a a a a a a a a a a response on on on on the the relationship of of of man man versus his natu- ral environment The point of of of departure is is is the the ambiguous tendency of of of man man man to cherish nature while simultaneously recklessly manipulating it it I I was interested in in in in the the the the beauty necessity and at at at at at the the the the same time the the the the destructive side of the the the the the manipulation With Exercises in in in in Rootsystem Domestication I I I force nature to to to go my way way and use its strength to to to create the the the the work I I I try to to to approache this subject in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a poetic way way I I am aware of of the the the cruel part of of the the the project DSa: Your work work work occupies ‘plant-time’ by its very nature of working working with growing plant plant material Has working working in in in in in in this time-zone impacted on on on on how you think about time time time scales in in in relation to environmental futures and art-based practice?
DSh: Yes growing time is a a a a a a a beautiful addition to my daily work practice I have learned 29
develop the the the the material material to such an an extent that it can be be applied for example in in in in the the the the textile industry The fabric also has the the the the potential of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sustainable material material because during the the the the production process it it stores CO2 instead of of emissions