Orangerie der Fürsorge (Orangery of Care)

House plants are entangled in the colonial history of botanical gardens and the destruction of habitats, but also in privatized practices of life preservation. On the one hand, they act as status symbols and fetish, on the other as cues to reflect on regenerative and caring activities aimed at preserving ecosystems.

Based on a site-specific concept for looking after and propagating discarded pot plants, the collective PARA has invited contemporary artists whose work deals with the modes of relationships between humans and plants. How does the health of plants reflect human behavior? How are encounters with plants influenced by (post-)colonial conditions? Does rethinking human-plant relationships also lead to a relearning of relations among humans? The exhibition and program of events addresses conditions of life, limits on resources of care, and constructions of nature and femininity. Video- and spatial installations, sculptures, paintings, and textile works reveal the tensions between protection and control inherent in the practice of keeping and caring for plants, as well as exploring its transformative potential.

With works by Rob Crosse, Marlene Heidinger, Bethan Hughes, Dunja Krcek, Samir Laghouati-Rashwan, Julia Löffler, Anne Marie Maes & Margarita Maximova, Jesse McLean, PARA, Laure Prouvost, Lex Rütten & Jana Kerima Stolzer, Shirin Sabahi, Hoda Tawakol, Sophie Utikal