Event
Drift. Yann Gross exhibition
A palm tree in a 19th-century glass case is the starting point for the exhibition in Madrid, where the focus is not on nature itself, but on how people have learned to transport it, sell it and turn it into symbols.
About this event
From 16 May to 26 July, La Casa Encendida de Madrid hosts Drift, an exhibition by Swiss artist Yann Gross. At its centre is the movement of plants between continents and how, alongside them, the economy, culture and conceptions of nature changed.
The project’s main image is the palm tree. Through it, the artist shows how the plant becomes a symbol of prosperity and exoticism, and becomes part of the history of trade and the colonisation of territories. The starting point is the Wardian case, a 19th-century glass container that made it possible to transport plants over long distances and accelerated their spread around the world.
The exhibition consists of photographs, installations and a four-projection video. Together, they construct a story about how natural objects become integrated into cultural and economic systems and how these systems affect the environment.
A prominent element of the exhibition is the Wardian case with a live palm tree inside. The video works add a sense of presence, creating a subtle distance between observation and involvement.
Categories
In the same district
Related topics
- Centro cultural y social La casa encendida
Names as listed, in their original language.