The Garden Caretaker is a project funded by the New European Bauhaus and organized by NXT and Desire, where artists are invited to work within the community at Stadets Væsen, a temporary greenhouse in the middle of Herlev residential area.

Both the conceptualization, production, and outcome were carried out on-site, by using only materials from the surroundings, primarily rammed earth. The project involved workshops and open days where the community could come and discuss the project while experimenting with the materials. The greenhouse is right by a construction site and the workers are considered part of the community as much as the residents. The neighbor kindergarten was invited multiple times to experiment with soil and brick making, in this way all community groups were involved in the process.

The outcome resulted in a site-specific installation comprised of 200 rammed earth low bricks made during the workshops and self-production. Previously to the construction site, an asphalt plant manufacturer was located adjacent to the greenhouse. The installation intends to open a conversation with the local community about land appropriation and cementification of natural (intended as an area least impacted by human activity) land. Moreover, the work is placed at the crossroads of artificial paths created by the workers on their way to work, creating a semi-temporary reclaimed space, an ideal space, a momentary break on the journey to work.

The project was a success bringing together community members from different contexts and age groups: kindergarten kids (3-6 years), local residents, construction workers, research community (Aalborg University). This residency was the first case study and a good playground to put into practice the methodology and understand what can be improved. During the Research Lab program, I intend to work on one or possibly more projects and then present the findings through a publication.

Sustainable Art Practices: Towards a Socio-Ecological Methodology within Site-Specific, Land, and Installation Art
Case study: The Garden Caretaker

The growing need for the implementation of sustainable practices extends to the field of crafts and arts. Sustainability must become an integral part of the creative process, just as it is in architecture and design, in contrast to the typical emphasis placed on materials in art production, where they are often given secondary consideration.

The research project aims to question normative approaches to installation, site-specific, and land art, focusing on the use of sustainable materials within the local community, and examining constraints within the production process and visual outcomes.

Site-specificity is the core of the approach, involving a comprehensive understanding and incorporation of the local environment, its history, and identity. This is achieved through a sociological approach, engaging with workshops with the community and ultimately working from, with, and for the surroundings where the project is situated.

The workshops and the data collected serve as a medium for disseminating knowledge, creating community engagement, and ultimately pointing towards a sustainable and regenerative future.

The Garden Caretaker is a project funded by the New European Bauhaus and organized by NXT and Desire, where artists are invited to work within the community at Stadets Væsen, a temporary greenhouse in the middle of Herlev residential area.

Both the conceptualization, production, and outcome were carried out on-site, by using only materials from the surroundings, primarily rammed earth. The project involved workshops and open days where the community could come and discuss the project while experimenting with the materials. The greenhouse is right by a construction site and the workers are considered part of the community as much as the residents. The neighbor kindergarten was invited multiple times to experiment with soil and brick making, in this way all community groups were involved in the process.

The outcome resulted in a site-specific installation comprised of 200 rammed earth low bricks made during the workshops and self-production. Previously to the construction site, an asphalt plant manufacturer was located adjacent to the greenhouse. The installation intends to open a conversation with the local community about land appropriation and cementification of natural (intended as an area least impacted by human activity) land. Moreover, the work is placed at the crossroads of artificial paths created by the workers on their way to work, creating a semi-temporary reclaimed space, an ideal space, a momentary break on the journey to work.

The project was a success bringing together community members from different contexts and age groups: kindergarten kids (3-6 years), local residents, construction workers, research community (Aalborg University). This residency was the first case study and a good playground to put into practice the methodology and understand what can be improved. During the Research Lab program, I intend to work on one or possibly more projects and then present the findings through a publication.

Sustainable Art Practices: Towards a Socio-Ecological Methodology within Site-Specific, Land, and Installation Art
Case study: The Garden Caretaker

The growing need for the implementation of sustainable practices extends to the field of crafts and arts. Sustainability must become an integral part of the creative process, just as it is in architecture and design, in contrast to the typical emphasis placed on materials in art production, where they are often given secondary consideration.

The research project aims to question normative approaches to installation, site-specific, and land art, focusing on the use of sustainable materials within the local community, and examining constraints within the production process and visual outcomes.

Site-specificity is the core of the approach, involving a comprehensive understanding and incorporation of the local environment, its history, and identity. This is achieved through a sociological approach, engaging with workshops with the community and ultimately working from, with, and for the surroundings where the project is situated.

The workshops and the data collected serve as a medium for disseminating knowledge, creating community engagement, and ultimately pointing towards a sustainable and regenerative future.