Roswitha Weingrill

Nellya Dzamanbhaeva and Roswitha Weingrill were working on a multimedia installation dealing with individual notions and experiences of growing plants in the context of migration. Interviews offer a glimpse into the thoughts of people who moved to Vienna from different parts of the world and how transitioning between countries, regions and ecosystems affected their views on gardening. The participants were asked questions about their early plant related memories,  getting their hands dirty while planting or being capable of taking care of plants. They generously shared their expertise on evolving conditions for planting crop like access to land and ground, different shades and states of soil in and which seeds they would like to safeguard for future generations.

The data gathered in the interviews was then used to create simple statistical models Models of statistical data related to migration in Vienna are turned into sculptures made out of different kinds of soil collected in the surrounding areas of Vienna. Seeds and plants mentioned in the interviews are added to the layers of the moist soil and left to germinate. During the exhibition the seeds and little plants will continue to grow while slowly breaking down the rigid forms of the statistical data soil sculptures. At the exhibition closing visitors are invited to take the plants with them in little pots provided by the artists.