5. 6. 7. To Fend Off Blindness
Nela Maruškevičová
Desolate urban clearings, street medians, abandoned plots, neglected areas. Overlooked sites which turn into tolerated “lands of asylum” for ruderal plants and wild green undergrowth. For the majority of people, such locations become nearly invisible, despite their omnipresence. Still, every day we pass by them – or through them – on a daily basis: we walk our dogs, we sit on benches, or we park next to them. We reflexively take them for granted. Weeds grow everywhere, but we apparently don’t find this to be very interesting. Plant blindness in practice. Is it possible to make these plants visible in any way? Can their aesthetic and structural qualities be appreciated to any extent at all? With these thoughts in mind, I decided to create profiles of six sites in Brno.
I regularly gathered the seeds of ruderals growing in these “lands of asylum” and subsequently planted them in simple planters. All these weeds, more or less typical, represent the specific attributes of each place and represent its botanical character. I then complemented the atmosphere of the location by recording audio recordings in which I articulated my own impressions of the moments when I recognized the plants and gathered their seeds.
I believe that art can play an important role in reevaluating the relationships between people and plants: hence my decision to place the planters in three courtyards of various galleries in Brno. Such places are sanctuaries, offering an environment for reflection and serenity that people typically do not experience in most types of other urban public spaces. Almost any object placed here acquires an aesthetic value and – even more importantly – a space to negotiate a dialogue with the viewer – something a ruderal plant does not typically have the privilege to enjoy.
