Plants in Error by exercise and edit

'Plants in Error' is a self-initiated project, inspired by the book 'Weeds' by Richard Mabey. For this project, we interrogated human perspectives on plants, especially those considered undesirable in human-controlled settings. We call them weeds. The term ‘weed’ has no botanical significance, because a plant categorized as a weed in one context is not in another. The plants are labeled as ugly, worthless or detrimental because of the values humans have ascribed to certain environments and other plants. We tried to subvert the image people have of 'weeds' by bringing them inside, to human spaces, making them special vases and arranging them in the manner of decorative floral art.

The unconventional vases are customised for the weeds. The forms are inspired by their different characters, postures, textures, or stories. The materials used are artificial and suggest the living space of human beings. We tried to make the normally ignored and unwelcome weeds become the focal point, living harmoniously in people's interior habitats.

exercise and edit, a creative duo composed by artist Hsian-Jung Chen and photographer Ansel Yen.They currently live and work in Taipei, Taiwan.

 

這個計畫的靈感源自英國生態自然作家Richard Mabey的「野草」一書。透過此計畫,我們觀察並且反思人類對於植物的態度,尤其是那些不被愛惜與理解的植物,人類索性通稱之為雜草或野草。雜草非植物學裡的特定品種,而是由人的主觀價值觀所定奪,因此在A處無用的雜草可能在B處變得有益。雜草通常跟醜、廢物、甚至有害的劃上等號,而雜草的英文“weed”,若當動詞使用,有清除、淘汰之意。

我們試圖推翻人們對於「雜草」的印象。我們採集生活中普遍認定的雜草,將它們帶至室內——人的空間——一個雜草不被希望出現且會被極力泯除的環境,端詳每種植物且根據它們的不同個性為其特製花器,非典型花器由日常生活中的物件構成,帶有人工的、當代生活的暗示。然後以花藝的方式,慎重其事地打理、展示它們,最後再幫它們拍照。

此計劃為exercise and edit主導,一個由藝術家陳向榮與攝影師Ansel Yen兩人組成的創意搭檔。