Alevtina Kakhidze participe à l’exposition Parliaments of Plants II au Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein à Vaduz. Jusqu’au 22 octobre 2023.
Artistes participants : Polly Apfelbaum, Ursula Biemann, Anna Hilti, Alevtina Kakhidze, Jochen Lempert, Rivane Neuenschwander & Mariana Lacerda, Uriel Orlow, Silke Schatz, Thomas Struth, Athena Vida, Miki Yui, Zheng Bo.
With its Parliament of Plants exhibition in 2020–21, Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein spotlighted a set of momentous issues facing current society. Parliament of Plants II continues this discussion.
The exhibition Parliament of Plants II gives a voice to plants. It testifies to a new view of these beings, which are inextricably linked with our own survival. Over the past decades, a paradigm shift has been taking place in the sciences regarding our perception of plants, one that is also reflected in the exhibition’s artworks. Following on from Parliament of Plants (2020–21), the show develops a network of cooperations in a range of different disciplines, with guest contributions in the form of ‘inserts’.
Parliament of Plants II demonstrates the principle of symbiosis as a societal counter-image to the parasitic handling of nature. New insights regarding the world of plants feature alongside the knowledge of Indigenous cultures, questions pertaining to colonial and contemporary history, the handling of resources or our perception of time. The crucial question is: how can we achieve a symbiotic coexistence in which human and non-human beings can learn from each other?
The main themes of two ‘raised stands’ are Michel Serres’ Natural Contract and Lynn Margulis’ theory of symbiosis. Co-curated with Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, molecular biologist and historian of science.
Forest Mind marks the beginning of thematic fields that open in the third room on the upper floor with works by Polly Apfelbaum, Alevtina Kakhidze and Uriel Orlow. Their works raise questions about colonial history and current events, our approach to resources and engage with environments between nature and artificiality.
Recent current events are very present in Kakhidze’s drawings. The Kievbased artist finds her anchor in plants. Writing when Russian troops were nearby in February 2022: ‘I behave like a plant: I stay in place, despite the shots. No fleeing!’ On cushions that you will find distributed throughout the entire exhibition space, we read: ‘Plants are pacifists as much as possible on this planet.’ She has written this sen tence on her studio door too, a message to all those arriving, even if they are soldiers. (exhibition booklet)
