Greenterview

Home plants are usually silent and inconspicuous observers of our lives. In Greenterview (for a home plant, performer, and video projection), however, the plant becomes the main character. After befriending an ivy over the five months, I have developed a unique language of communication with her through daily observation and interaction. In this performance, I´m exploring the relationship between humans and nature through the conversation of the ivy and the performer.

Even though it is for the eye and the ear of the human, primarily invisible and inaudible, plants move and make sounds. These actions are mainly the responses to their environmental condition (light, water, temperature, gravity) and the chemical processes inside the plants. Research shows that plants communicate in their unique way with their natural surroundings.

I chose to work with the Hedera helix (the ivy) because it is the archetype of green, which surrounds us daily, but we usually don´t pay attention to it. On the contrary, in this performance, I acknowledge the plant as the main protagonist with whom the performer makes the dialogue – the title, composed of the words green and interview, sums up the whole idea.

The piece has three parts – 1. the introduction of the performer to the plant, 2. the interior life of the plant, 3. the dialogue.

The main elements used in the performance are voice, movement, video, audio recording, and light.

I believe it is essential to look at things from diverse points of view. So, to acknowledge the plant as a living organism and look at things through “the leaves” of the plant was enriching. One of the most fascinating aspects for me is the unlike perception of time and applying it to movement and breathing. Also, it made me ask questions such as how plants move themselves and how they drive us.

I´m still developing this project. However, the premier of the first version of Greenterview was on the 14th of January 2024 in Lucerne.