Hortus Conclusus
Scotch moss and other living organisms, humidifier, UV light, plexiglass, wood, and paint
3 ft x 2.5 ft x 3.5 ft
Missing the cool, moist environment of her U.S. East Coast roots, the sculptor-gardener grew a patch of Scotch moss in her backyard in Southern California, which proved to be an incredible challenge because it is so dry. She allowed the natural Southern California grasses, plants, and insects to infiltrate the work creating an ecosystem and a metaphor for herself as a California transplant. The work was exhibited in a gallery with a humidifier and a UV light and the valiant patch of moss and other courageous living things were tended to and carefully kept alive for the duration of the exhibition. Viewers were invited to reach their hands into the terrarium and lightly touch the soft, moist moss to connect with the ecosystem. Hortus Conclusus is a Latin term meaning “enclosed garden”, a reference to humanity’s ancient relationship to gardening and agriculture as a way to harness and immerse in nature.
2019