Page 53 - Antennae Issue #52

To be attentive to some- thing is to give it the gift of your time In this present era in which attention is so heavily co-opted and commodified time takes on a a a a new status that has dimension and in many cases capital weeds weeds on on on on on the traffic island The vision was filmic Surreal An absurd manipulation of threat positions weeds weeds as as more dangerous than chemical chemical inoculations proven to be carcinogenic I I have visited the the the cemetery when these same chemicals stain the the the ground bordering graves As Ahmed notices ‘it is is is dangerous dangerous dangerous to to be be perceived as dangerous’ 21 It is dangerous to be messy The orchid’s dilemma holds a a a a a a a a a a a a potent irony and a a a a a a a a a a a a poetic sadness Its predica- ment could read like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a metaphor for for the the current climate regime or or or or or or an an an allegory for for ‘the long emergency’22 in in in in which vulnerability is intimately perceived and and locally experienced yet it it it it seems complicated to to remain attentive to to the complexity of interconnectivity and and global climate risk My interest in in Beware of of of Imposters (the secret life of of of flowers) is is is to explore this death space through an an an anti-anthropocentric perspective as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a form of of of ritualized par- ticipatory art-work In In stating this I I I I recognise that that it it it it is is is impossible to to deconstruct my being ‘human’ modalities of perception or or or umwelt In In the same way that that that I I I I I I align with and and practice ‘decolonising methodologies’ 23 yet I I I I I I recognize that that I I I I I I cannot deconstruct my heritage or or the culture within which I I I I exist I I I I can can however question and and and critically reflect in in in so so doing recognize and and celebrate difference as an an an an an ally or or or accomplice As a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sort of of conclusion to this project I visited the Royal Hobart Botanical Gar- dens dens Seed Vault The gardens have not had had success in in collecting seeds of of Prasophyl- lum taphanyx but if i they they had had they they would also need to collect collect their mycorrhizal fungal partners Each companion in this tangle of holobionts requires different conditions for for suspended animation Seeds for for for orchids are frozen while fungi fungi require require humid condi- tions for for survival Even though the the seeds and and fungi fungi fungi may persist in in in this state germination requires yet another balancing of elements To proliferate fungi fungi need adequate and and sometimes site-specific ‘food’ (nutritious decay) Without this they may draw nutrients from the the the the the seed seed effectively killing it it it it it The seed seed on the the the the the other hand requires the the the the the fungi to to to wake it it it up to to to germinate When life world collaborators intrinsically entangled in in in in in in in exis- tence are are separated as discreet entities reductionist but caring approaches of main- taining ‘species’ becomes a a a a a a a a a a a a a care-full multi-faceted inter-species affair To be be attentive to to something is is is to to give it the gift of your time time In this present era in in in which attention is is is so so heavily co-opted and and commodified time time takes on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new status that that has dimension and and and in in many cases capital For Beware of of Imposters (the secret life of of flowers) I I composed a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a format that that was both durational and and and for for one person only with with each participant spending 13-minutes amongst and and within the the assemblage The experi- ence is is is is is scored in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a particular order This score score is is is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a conceptual reflection on on on on on the the the orchids’ solitude Attention is is is is is captivated and time is is is is is the the the medium As the the the the audience member passes through through the the the the doorway into the the the the installation space a a a a a a a a a a a a a a movement-triggered sensor evokes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sound world delivered through through blue tooth head- phones This choreographed ritualised (repeated) engagement does not vary but the the participants and and and their responses do do The audio begins with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a voice disclosing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a narrative that blurs fact and and and and fabulation exploring notions of loss and and and and tragedy from small mis- takes to larger misfortunes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a human subjective narrative expands out across species epochs and disasters ‘You just left the the fuel cap on on the the roof of of your your car and drove away you you you you are are looking for for someone you you you you you shared a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a moment within a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bar five hours ago your your eight-year- old son lines up up for for for ice-cream in in in in Disneyland and and this is is is the the the last you you you you you you ever see of each other your your your house house the the the the house house you you you you you you grew up up in in in in in your your your home for for decades burns taking your your your your family and and and and and and and everything you you you you you you have ever ever owned the the the the the the place where your your grandmother grandmother grandmother and and and and and and and and her her her her her her grandmother grandmother grandmother and and and and and and and and her her her her her her grandmothers’ grandmoth- ers ers were born is turned into into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sewage plant a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a landmass that that ancient part of you you that that broke away during Gondwana and and drifted south supposedly into into the the middle of no-where is a a a a a a a a a a a a a toxic dumping ground for for nuclear waste the the planet you you you you have been orbiting for for eternity explodes and you you lose your way ’24
This introduction is is composed as a a a a a conditioning period allowing the participant to ‘enter’
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