Observatory # 2
Dandelion stems on showcase
75 x 75 cm
Santiago, Chile
2024


The dandelion stems in this work, which reach the incredible hight of 80 centimeters, were harvested from my back garden, where they grow wild among the lemon trees. It is uncommon to find such tall dandelions in the city because of regular mowing to keep sidewalks tidy. After drying, the stems were carefully ironed and woven. Observatory # 2 works as a device for close observation, displaying five compositions, which unfold from a simple knot to more complex weaving patterns. These dandelion stems, traditionally made into cordage for basket making, are given an alternative form which both eludes and remembers practical objects made from plant fibers such as lamps and baskets.  

I often work with sequences to reveal processes, suggesting alternative narratives of organic growth and craft making. I understand these sequences as fictions or imagined biographies of plants and fibers which point to past and future alike. I like the idea of working with sequences where form appears to be done and undone at once. 

 

This work was developed whilst in residency at AIR Galpón / Galpón Independencia.

 

 

Photos by Sebastián Mejía