Vas Florum: Resina Botanica
Building on our presentation with the Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris in 2023, Vas Florum: Resina Botanica digs deeper into the evocative power of plants by representing memories of people, places, and the feelings that emerge from those encounters.
Our unique floral compositions develop into an ever-evolving, contemporary herbarium. The pieces presented in New York conjure individual memories from Marcin's lived history while also stimulating universal, collective memory. In each artwork, flowers are embedded in the body of the form itself, and the species chosen range from those that have been artificially bred for commercial, aesthetic purposes, to common ‘weeds’ that are often overlooked yet can thrive in the most inhospitable conditions. Using natural waste material is particularly important in this context, anchoring the pieces in the constancy of our practice. By reclaiming plants that have fulfilled their commercial use, manipulating and enhancing them through various techniques and processes developed over the years in our studio, we extend their lifecycle and give their ephemerality renewed purpose. Conceived as ‘time capsules,’ each Vas Florum sculpture ontologically considers the concept of the vessel and its relationship with flowers and their display. Furthermore, opening up towards the vernacular allows us to gain a fresh perspective on the environments we surround ourselves with.
The exhibition highlights a new body of work developed exclusively for the show at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in New York, including Resina Botanica Coffee Tables, whose shapes, framed with cast patinated bronze, are inspired by the organic contours of stone slabs found in the riverbed of the Solina River in Bieszczady in Southern Poland. Juxtaposed with unique floral compositions cast in dark green and rust-hued resin, the pieces, evoking whirlpools of water, act as portals into the immense influence nature has on our creations, offering a glimpse into the alchemy of materials and the creative process behind them.
Our unique floral compositions develop into an ever-evolving, contemporary herbarium. The pieces presented in New York conjure individual memories from Marcin's lived history while also stimulating universal, collective memory. In each artwork, flowers are embedded in the body of the form itself, and the species chosen range from those that have been artificially bred for commercial, aesthetic purposes, to common ‘weeds’ that are often overlooked yet can thrive in the most inhospitable conditions. Using natural waste material is particularly important in this context, anchoring the pieces in the constancy of our practice. By reclaiming plants that have fulfilled their commercial use, manipulating and enhancing them through various techniques and processes developed over the years in our studio, we extend their lifecycle and give their ephemerality renewed purpose. Conceived as ‘time capsules,’ each Vas Florum sculpture ontologically considers the concept of the vessel and its relationship with flowers and their display. Furthermore, opening up towards the vernacular allows us to gain a fresh perspective on the environments we surround ourselves with.
The exhibition highlights a new body of work developed exclusively for the show at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in New York, including Resina Botanica Coffee Tables, whose shapes, framed with cast patinated bronze, are inspired by the organic contours of stone slabs found in the riverbed of the Solina River in Bieszczady in Southern Poland. Juxtaposed with unique floral compositions cast in dark green and rust-hued resin, the pieces, evoking whirlpools of water, act as portals into the immense influence nature has on our creations, offering a glimpse into the alchemy of materials and the creative process behind them.
| YEAR: 2024 |
COLLABORATORS: Marcin Rusak Tamara Pilawska Baranowska Igor Jansen Mateusz Wappa S.T.R.S. |
PHOTO CREDITS: Benjamin Baccarani Matt Harrington |
LOCATION: New York, USA |
