VERTICAL GARDEN
Fabric, Glue, Wire and Charcoal
Site Specific Installation at the Palo Alto Art Center
Variable Measurements
2012
Vertical Garden is an installation made with the help of the local community for the opening exhibition Community Creates at the re-opened Palo Alto Art Center. This exhibition celebrates the Palo Alto Art Center’s unique institutional history and their ongoing commitment to the community. Vertical Garden is an engaging sculptural installation featuring plant-like sculptures that appear to be growing directly out of the gallery wall. The sculpted ferns were crafted by community members out of wire, glue, and patterned fabrics and clothes recycled from the community. Over the course of the exhibition, this artificial fern garden will continue to grow and expand, showcasing the relationship between humans and the natural and artificial world, as well as the role patterns play in nature and textiles.
Site Specific Installation at the Palo Alto Art Center
Variable Measurements
2012
Vertical Garden is an installation made with the help of the local community for the opening exhibition Community Creates at the re-opened Palo Alto Art Center. This exhibition celebrates the Palo Alto Art Center’s unique institutional history and their ongoing commitment to the community. Vertical Garden is an engaging sculptural installation featuring plant-like sculptures that appear to be growing directly out of the gallery wall. The sculpted ferns were crafted by community members out of wire, glue, and patterned fabrics and clothes recycled from the community. Over the course of the exhibition, this artificial fern garden will continue to grow and expand, showcasing the relationship between humans and the natural and artificial world, as well as the role patterns play in nature and textiles.
Community engagement
During the summer of 2012 I taught a few workshop at the Palo Alto Art Center where the local community learned how to craft their own fern leaves to be part of this installation. Participants were encouraged to bring their own fabrics and clothes to recycle for this project. During the course of this exhibition, including the day of the Grand Opening in October, I also worked with visitors to trace, cut and craft more fern leaves to be included in the installation.
photo credit: Michael Rauner
photo credit: Michael Rauner