Martina della Valle

onefloweroneleaf

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One flower, one leaf

In nature “the same flower never blooms twice
and humans never encounter flowers
under the same conditions.
Ikebana binds these two evanescent factors together.”
(Teshigahara Sofu)

“One flower, One leaf” is an ongoing archive of still-lifes resulting from participative events held in different cities, to investigate spontaneous flora. During the workshop the part-takers are asked to produce the compositions that become the subject of my photos. This exploration takes place on a selected area of the urban landscape: within a guided walk the part-takers observe and select diverse spontaneous materials (plants, flowers, branches, stones..).
Supported by me and an ikebana teacher, each participant will then realize an arrangement with the findings. The resulting series of still-lifes compose a photographic limited edition based on the experience, and an ideal portrait of the specific environment, in a specific moment of time and period of the year.

The chosen locations are ruderal areas; green places not considered in the urban design, but left wild and unattended. This areas are particularly rich in species, very representative of the migration paths of the flora. Such spots are often locate near water basins, rivers, or close to big streets. Waterfronts, highways’ side walks, areas left unconstructed or urban borders in general, are for its own nature a place of exchange and encounters, a first meeting point with newcomers. This applies to people but also to plant species. Ruderal areas play a special role in the development of the urban weeds, being a very dynamic and accommodating incubator for pioneer species.

Reconstructing the components of the spontaneous flora means often to reconstruct the proliferation path of seeds and also of human beings, since the one is often consciously or unconsciously transporting the other.

Project realized in collaboration with Rie Ono and Satoko Hatayama

See the video documentation:

artribune.com/television/2019

vimeo.com/336302428

Until now the project took place at:

One flower, one leaf #1
24,25|09|2016 -Dryphoto arte contemporanea, Prato (IT)

One flower, one leaf #2
03|12|2016 -MAXXI Museum, Rome (IT)

One flower, one leaf #3
19,20|06|2017 -AR/GE Kunst, Bolzano (IT)

One flower, one leaf #4
20-21|01|2018 - Nordiska Akvarellmuseet, Skärhamn, (S)

One flower, one leaf #5
18|09|2018 - UNSEEN Amsterdam, (NL)

presented at:
-The Koppel Project, London (UK) 2019
-EDRA50, New York (USA) 2019
-NonostanteMarras, Milan (IT) 2018
-Nakata Museum, Onomichi (JP) 2018
-Nordiska Akvarellmuseet, Skärhamn (S) 2018
-AR/GE Kunst, Bolzano (IT) 2017
-ZABRISKIE, Berlin (D) 2017
-Artist Alliance, Singapore (SG) 2017
-DRYPHOTO, Prato (IT) 2016

One flower, one leaf
photo edition
ink-jet prints on fine-art paper
size A5
50 copies

Ikebana site-specific installation at ar/ge kunst
result of a workshop in the city of Bozen.
Arrangement by Rie Ono (botanical artist)

Ikebana site-specific installation at DRYPHOTO
result of a workshop in the city of Prato.
Arrangement by Rie Ono (botanical artist)