Seeds
Date:
2016
Ref:
5575
Materials:
23 Murano glass seeds accompanied by a UTM certificate of moral ownership Perpetual Amazonia
Dimensions:
Plinth 350 x 200 x 60 cm
Exhibition history:
2023 Harewood House, Leeds, UK; 2016 City Art Museum and Gallery, Peterborough, UK
Courtesy:
Lucy + Jorge Orta
The installation Seeds (2016) is composed of twenty-three unique hand-blown Murano glass objects that represent varieties of seeds and pollen. These larger-than-life glass specimens are framed by Seed Bank (2014), a set of intricate watercolour drawings of each of the species. The ensemble magnifies the beauty and complexity of the natural world barely perceptible to the human eye. Lucy + Jorge Orta partook in two scientific expeditions to the Amazon, collaborting with scientists to observe first-hand the effects of deforestation and climate change on the biodiversity of the rainforest. Prevalent in the artists' meta-project 'Amazonia' is the act of preserving varieties that may be threatened with extinction. The drawings, objects and sculptures bear witness to their long-term engagement.