‘The forest has more eyes than leaves’ is an ancient saying shared by the indigenous Brazilian philosopher and activist Ailton Krenak. This gaze that sees everything around us as alive and pulsing, every being as an individual unit and integral part of a greater whole, guides my practice as an artist and educator. The Wave Hill Sunroom Project manifests this knowledge conceptually, spatially and materially with “Floresta de Pulsares [Forest of Pulses]”: a temporary ‘forest’ made with organic matter, sound and paintings.
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Elaborating on "As Red as Brazil," which delves into the symbolic, political, and chromatic aspects of the brazilwood tree (the first colonial good that gave Brazil its name), “Floresta de Pulsares [Forest of Pulses]” at Wave Hill connects untold stories from the Trees of the Americas (such as brazilwood, but also the Butternut Tree, used by the Confederacy to dye uniforms in the Civil War). It asks, how can we reclaim and honor the stories, colors and symbols of these powerful trees? “Floresta de Pulsares [Forest of Pulses]” aims to create a space for contemplation, reconnection, reflection, ritual and refuge: an opportunity to remember collectively that we are a forest of ever-rippling beings.
Centered on how trees, their colors and the ancient knowledge related to them is used, appropriated and exploited, “Floresta de Pulsares [Forest of Pulses]” seeks to reclaim and honor their stories, their presence and that of the people and beings who live in reciprocity with them. Beyond the trees themselves, the work incorporates organic materials of Wave Hill’s gardens and nearby forests, connecting a multitude of plant species to create one single tree. Hanging from the created tree, cotton stripes painted with natural dyes and an accompanying sound composition, making the site-specific installation an immersive environment.
Honoring the trees' forgotten stories, their companion species and other invisible elements of their presence, the installation represents the resonance of vital pulses in a forest-collage of beings, a reminder of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s call to "invite others into the web of reciprocity”.
Photos by: Stefan Hagen
To listen to the audio piece that was part of the installation click here: https://youtu.be/qllhhnvXz5s
Opening/Activation of the piece in collaboration with Koyoltzintli Miranda-Rivadeneira: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi8C238PDsU