Photography by Phil Sun
XENOPHON: BECOMING GARDEN AN EXERCISE IN DREAMING WITH, 2021
Landscape, Ecology and Environment Research residency, (LEER), Leitrim Sculpture Centre,
Becoming garden: an exercise in dreaming-with brings together a series of experiments that explore the process of becoming Xenothorpian, through an experimental merging with the garden.
From a multi-species, Xenothorpian ontology the project investigates the matters of the garden and the fate of the Japanese knotweed therein. From the intersection of permaculture and plant spirit shamanism, activities such as practical strategies, plant dieting, and co-visioning deepen relations with the plant; to get to know it better, bond, blend, and, if we can, to merge (Guyette). The artist calls this multi-species dreaming-with. By drawing our attention to the encounter with the plant, new and mutual words can unfold.
Japanese Knotweed is a highly invasive species. It spreads rapidly, reducing species diversity and alters habitat for wildlife. Once established, the plant is extremely difficult to remove. The plant should be respected and perhaps feared. This project does not endorse the foraging of Japanese knotweed because of its potential to propagate from small cuttings. However, if you have Japanese knotweed on your land and don't intend to eradicate it with herbicides, you may use these experiments
Landscape, Ecology and Environment Research residency, (LEER), Leitrim Sculpture Centre,
Becoming garden: an exercise in dreaming-with brings together a series of experiments that explore the process of becoming Xenothorpian, through an experimental merging with the garden.
From a multi-species, Xenothorpian ontology the project investigates the matters of the garden and the fate of the Japanese knotweed therein. From the intersection of permaculture and plant spirit shamanism, activities such as practical strategies, plant dieting, and co-visioning deepen relations with the plant; to get to know it better, bond, blend, and, if we can, to merge (Guyette). The artist calls this multi-species dreaming-with. By drawing our attention to the encounter with the plant, new and mutual words can unfold.
Japanese Knotweed is a highly invasive species. It spreads rapidly, reducing species diversity and alters habitat for wildlife. Once established, the plant is extremely difficult to remove. The plant should be respected and perhaps feared. This project does not endorse the foraging of Japanese knotweed because of its potential to propagate from small cuttings. However, if you have Japanese knotweed on your land and don't intend to eradicate it with herbicides, you may use these experiments
Japanese knotweed consumables for dreaming-with
Gin, juice, jams, pickles, marmalade, relish, chutney, water, tea, tincture, syrup (clockwise)
Gin, juice, jams, pickles, marmalade, relish, chutney, water, tea, tincture, syrup (clockwise)
Unreal clay, Japanese knotweed tea, tincture, pestle and mortar (clockwise)
Water collected from research sites
Artists garden, Ballybawn farm, foreshore walk in Schull
Artists garden, Ballybawn farm, foreshore walk in Schull
Japanese Knotweed pickle, jams, marmalade, relish and chutney
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Japanese knotweed tincture, gin, juice and roots
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