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Luffa (2021)

Artist:

Merve Kılıçer

Herbarium Collection - Collection - Luffa - Merve Kılıçer

Herbarium Collection - Collection - Luffa - Merve Kılıçer

This piece is a tribute to the Luffa plant that inspires my work since 2013. I’ve included luffa to my practice through various mediums such as printmaking, installation and recently it became the protagonist of my short film ‘Nest Egg’ representing fertility and cycle of life. The imprint of its xylem fiber network was used in the handmade etching book ‘Tiamat’ (2014) and again the pieces of the fibre structure were used to make cyanotype prints on paper. The resistant and sponge like body of the fruit is a great material to experiment with and will probably continue taking part in my practice appearing in different roles.

40х20х10 cm, luffa plant, nails, wood, textile, vinyl plastic coating

The Herbarium project explores the work environment in contemporary culture in which ideas are created and exchanged. The focus of Herbarium is to compile a collection of sealed creative energy in boxes (40х40х10, 40x20x10 or 20х40х10) of different generations of artists around the world. The contents of each box are accompanied by a description and a sound file with the artist's voice. The artists, invited by the curator of "Herbarium" could choose two new participants - so the project traces the exchange of creative energy in the artworld. The development of the collection has no time limits, it grows exponentially with each new participant until the final exhibition is announced. The H Talks series (video portraits of the artists) are shot during the preparation of each presentation of the Herbarium collection in the artists work environment and studios. All the information, gathered in the process of developing the collection, will be available to all researchers, curators, gallery owners, students or art lovers who are interested in the less visible mechanisms through which contemporary culture functions.