Tentacular Ecologies is an artistic installation co-created between a human artist and spontaneous flora or so-called "weeds". The artist invites this flora to colonize the facade of a building by providing them a space to live, subtracted from the architectural matter. The visual gesture of the artwork resembles an ancient ceramic mending technique kintsugi, which seeks repair through imperfection. At the same time, the image of the gold, contrasting with the traditionally wild and marginal vegetable occupation of weeds, puts forward a tension between concepts of monetary, aesthetical, ecological, and architectural value.
The 17th of May marks the beginning of the process of interaction between the artistic structure and the wild natural processes. During a few months there will be a set of interactions and experiences, between science art and technology, that will be documented. The public is challenged to discover a neglected side of urban ecologies, from different points of view, scales, and ambiences, in their relationship with architectural spaces.
Artist: Catarina Reis
Curator: Sofia Marçal
Opening 17th May 2022
https://www.ulisboa.pt/evento/ecologias-tentaculares
