2022 - Installation art

Ingredients of Care is an interactive installation that I built for the Radical Care conference in Silandro, a small village in the mountains of Italy. This event was organised by the MA Eco-Social Design Bolzano, who had selected my work as part of the exhibit during the conference.  In the Ingredients of care installation, two visitors sit opposite one another massaging each others' hands with a chosen healing herb oil, from which each herb represents a different need. 

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How do we care, collectively? 

Collective care is created when our care for self is interconnected to the care we give to and receive from another person or our community. The Installation "Ingredients of care" researches and supports these collective ways of caring and healing, by creating a setting in which it can be experienced physically.

 

The visitors of the installation are given five different handmade healing herb oils

to choose from, each representing a different need:

~Stinging Nettle = Boundaries and mental + physical detox.
~Blackthorn & Cherry Plum blossom = Letting go of heavy (winter) feelings.
~Magnolia flower = Resilience + balancing feminine energy.
~Calendula = Comfort + Positive energy.
~Olive oil = Insert own need

One person applies the oil with a droplet on the other persons hands, massaging it in,

or holding space for the other to it do it themselves.

 

This installation is part of a larger research project on collective care.
In my essay you will find some of the references that led me to creating this installation.

 

Below you will find the photos and video from the installation,