Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Pests
"an organism which has characteristics that are regarded by humans as injurious or unwanted"
My studio practice this semester has been particularly focussed on pests, what humans regard as a pest and why we do so. This poses the much wider question of 'what makes us Human?'. I have been researching the subject of feral children in relation to this, as scientists and psycologists have used these unique cases to argue what to the true nature of mankind may be.
Moss is considered a weed in grass lawns, and is often killed off to keep concrete area clear.
"we do not value the behavior or soul of the fly or cockroach to the same degree that we do the chimpanzee or domestic dog or cat. We human being's do have a ladder representing our judgement as to "likeability," and it is not a great surprise to learn that the species placed at the top of our ladder are those genetically most like us and those we have domesticated to behave in ways we prefer....to do so is not wrong- but it is human. That we do so merely illustrates that we design our mental universe by the use of concepts, which suggests that our first task is to develop ways to understand our own mind by understanding the concepts it employs"
-Feral Children and Clever Animals by Douglas Keith Canland.
For this project I wanted to futher explore these idea's in relation to my chosen medium; moss.
The way in which something can survive completely self-sustaining then once interferred with or transposed requires care and attention, this has been true for my experiments with moss and also the cases of feral children.
What draws me to moss as a medium is its inherent commoness, growing all over the world in both natural and urban environments. It's existence with in the urban enviroment I find particularly interesting, as city dwellers we are often detached from the natural world, when I see moss growing through cracks in the footpath or on a brick wall I am reminded if the constant battle between humans and nature. For me moss represents a small victory for the natural world amongst all of the destruction we create.
For my final work I have transplanted moss samples I have collected on to a freshly painted grey wall with in the city. Using a combination of glue and buttermilk I created the shape of a large grasping hand with the moss. I choose this shape because I wanted to reflect my idea's about the fragilty of life and our relationship to the natural world.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Moss gathering
Guerrilla Gardening
I have been looking at several artists working with these ideas. Edina Tokodi and Peter Gibson in particular are artist both working in public spaces combining concepts of street art and environmentalism. Street art in itself is a form of non-violent activism or social disruption, I appreciate the way they use the medium and the space to comment on social and environmental issues.
'Tokodi’s site-specific moss installations of prancing animal figures and camouflage outgrowths are the talk of a local urban neighborhood typically accustomed to gallery hype and commercial real estate take-overs. Unlike the market-driven art featured in sterile, white box galleries, the work of Tokodi is meant to be touched, felt, and in turn touch you in the playful ways that her animated installations call to mind a more familiar, environmentally friendly state in the barren patches of urban existence.'
Graffiti meets environmental and social activism in Peter Gibson (a.k.a. Roadsworth)’s literal take on street art. Frustrated with the lack of safety provided for cyclists in today’s cities, the artist began (illegally) spray painting extra bike lanes onto the streets of
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Common New Zealand Moss Varieties
Leptostomum inclinans
Family Leptostomataceae
This family contains a number of large genera with world wide distribution. Most species grow on soil and have erect stems. Genus
- Leptostomum
Species: Leptostomum inclinans R. Br.
A common moss often seen growing on Nikau palms and black tree ferns. Common Name: Pin cushion moss.
Found: Mixed
Substrate: Tree Trunks Length: Up to 300 mm
Thick: To 80 mm
Macromitrium longipes
Family Orthotrichaceae
A well represented family in
- Macromitrium
Species: Macromitrium longipes (Hook.) Schwaegr.
Common, found on tree trunks or large branches. Growing in patches up to 300 mm.
Distribution:
Bryum argenteum
Family Pottiaceae
A large family containing many small upright plants, which form large dense patches on soil. Some of which are very common it urban environments. Genus
- Tortula
Species: Tortula muralis Hedw.
Common in urban environments, found growing on brick walls, concrete etc..
Found: Urban environments
Substrate: Brick, concrete Height: 8 mm
Ptychomniaceae aciculare
Family Ptychomniaceae
- Ptychomniaceae
Species: Ptychomniaceae aciculare (Brid.) Mitt
A very common moss.
Habitat: On the ground or rotting logs in forests.
Width: 10 mm Distribution: Throughout
Length: 50 mm to 100 mm
Breutelia elongata
Family Bartramiaceae
- Breutelia
A common moss, often found in drainage ditches,
Habitat: Damp ground
Width: 10 mm Distribution: Throughout
Height: 100 mm
Bryum argenteum
Family Bryaceae
- Bryum
Species: Bryum argenteum Hedw..
Common in towns were it's found at the foot of walls, cracks in foot paths
Habitat: Soil, foot of walls and cracks in footpaths
Distribution: World wide Length: 10 mm
Width 1.5 mm
Bryum blandum
Species: Bryum blandum Hook.f.& wils.
Growing Moss
Growing moss on a variety of objects is relatively simple. There are a number of basic techniques you can use to grow moss, ranging from creating a moss mixture which you can paint onto surfaces like flagstones and wooden benches to transplanting sheets of moss into shady areas in your garden. Once established, moss requires little care beyond being kept moist. Keep in mind that moss grows slowly, so try not to be impatient while you grow moss.
There are thousands of species of plants in the Bryopsida genus, which encompasses the mosses. These plants vary widely in color and texture, but all of them are nonvascular, meaning that they lack familiar structures like leaves and flowers. Mosses also do not produce seeds; they reproduce using spores which are dispersed on the wind. The mosses are believed to be incredibly old, and they are extremely hardy; moss can be found flourishing in extreme cold, for example.