tropeztropez.de
tropeztropez.de

Isa Melsheimer
Wardian Cases, 2022

Wardian Case (KOMPOST Pommes Mayo), 2022

Wardian Case (KOMPOST Apfelkrotzen), 2022

Wardian Case (KOMPOST Kaffee und Kuchen), 2022

Glass, silicone, wood, plaster, swimming pool soil, French fries potatoes, eggs, oil, coffee, apples, croissants, currants, compost worms, humus
103 x 30 x 30 cm, 123 x 30 x 30 cm, 83 x 30 x 30 cm

Next to the TROPEZ, moldy and thriving: Isa Melsheimer has filled three glass boxes with food from the kiosk. The so-called Wardian cases, invented by Nathaniel Ward in the 1830s, are airtight systems. This method made plants transportable even over long sea distances and enriched the colonial powers in their plant hunts. The boxes need only light - the water cannot evaporate and oxygen is provided when it greens, through photosynthesis. Composting produces minerals that act as fertilizer. The pedestals echo the texture of the pool's architecture, blending in with their surroundings. Melsheimer's work proposes a recalibration of human relationships to the environment. 

 

About the artist

Isa Melsheimer lives and works in Berlin. Her works are an expression of intensive research and formal investigation. Melsheimer's artistic approach strives to gain insights into the aesthetics and design of our everyday lives as well as our immediate surroundings. Her work has been shown at the Centre international d'art et du paysage on Vassivière Island, at MAMAC in Nice, and at KINDL - Centre for Contemporary Art in Berlin.