TESSA TEIXEIRA | «Orchidacea Herbarium – a Critically Endangered Eulogy»
26 Setembro 2024 16h00
TESSA TEIXEIRA
«Orchidacea Herbarium – a Critically Endangered Eulogy»
«Orchidacea Herbarium – a Critically Endangered Eulogy»
OPEN STUDIO | 26-29 September, 2024, 16:00 – 20:00
ARTIST TALK | 28 September 2024, 18:00
ARTIST TALK | 28 September 2024, 18:00
We are delighted to present "Orchidacea Herbarium" a pop-up exhibition by South African artist Tessa Teixeira, featuring a new series of works developed over an extended period and completed during a month-long residency at Zaratan.
Through her practice, she explores the intersections of existential philosophy, climate change, ecology, and biodiversity using a variety of media - such as paintings, printmaking, and installations - often mixed together.
Global biodiversity is facing one of the most intense extinction period in the history of life, called the sixth great extinction event. According to Professor Alexandre Antonelli, Director of Science at Kew Botanical gardens, and scientists, 45% of flowering plant species are at a risk of extinction.
Her interest in Portugal’s loss of biodiversity was initially motivated by an article she read, that indicated that the Portuguese Association of Science of Vegetation, that stated that in the ‘Red list of vascular plants’ that of the 110 species of plants that can be found on mainland Portugal, 53 are facing extinction’
Tessa in response, undertook further secondary research and focused on Orchids, because they are the indicators of the health of the ecosystem, and their presence signifies that the ecosystem is vibrant and lively. The dependence of orchids on mycorrhiza for germination and pollinators (mainly insects) for their propagation are classic cases of interaction with other biotas in nature.
Portugal is one of the last countries where several types of European orchids can grow in natural conditions. It has become crucial to preserve the few places that haven’t been destroyed by man.
Through her practice, she explores the intersections of existential philosophy, climate change, ecology, and biodiversity using a variety of media - such as paintings, printmaking, and installations - often mixed together.
Global biodiversity is facing one of the most intense extinction period in the history of life, called the sixth great extinction event. According to Professor Alexandre Antonelli, Director of Science at Kew Botanical gardens, and scientists, 45% of flowering plant species are at a risk of extinction.
Her interest in Portugal’s loss of biodiversity was initially motivated by an article she read, that indicated that the Portuguese Association of Science of Vegetation, that stated that in the ‘Red list of vascular plants’ that of the 110 species of plants that can be found on mainland Portugal, 53 are facing extinction’
Tessa in response, undertook further secondary research and focused on Orchids, because they are the indicators of the health of the ecosystem, and their presence signifies that the ecosystem is vibrant and lively. The dependence of orchids on mycorrhiza for germination and pollinators (mainly insects) for their propagation are classic cases of interaction with other biotas in nature.
Portugal is one of the last countries where several types of European orchids can grow in natural conditions. It has become crucial to preserve the few places that haven’t been destroyed by man.
BIO: TESSA TEIXEIRA’s artistic practice and work focus on Existential Philosophy, Ecology and Climate narratives, using painting, mixed media, installation, and printmaking. She completed a Bachelor’s in Primary Education, majoring in Art, in 1991 through the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. She was extensively involved in NGO projects addressing access for housing in lower-income communities, rural development and economic needs in South Africa. In 2006 she started actively focusing on her Art practice and embarked on various short Art development programs in San Francisco (2010) and London (2011). Her work is in private and public collections, and she exhibited nationally and internationally. Some recent exhibitions include: ‘Step into the forest’ Solo Show - CONTRA Fair - Johannesburg (SA) (2024); ‘Hide me, Steal me, Be nice to me’ Group Show – ARTE. M Association - Funchal (Madeira) (2024); Victoria Yards – Open Air Art Fair (2023); 'Otherwise Healthy', Group show – GalleryOne11, Cape Town, SA (2022); 'Carbon-Border- Voices'- online group exhibition, UK (2022); WEAD Online magazine ‘Art of Empathy’ feature, USA (2022); 'Ecoartproject' - online artist feature, NYC, USA (2022); '1.5 Degrees' in Berlin, Germany (2021); 'What’s next for earth – Thinking in systems' (2022) & 'Depletion' (2021) – MAHB, Stanford University, USA (2021); 'Nothing stands still' - Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre JHGC (2018). Her work has been featured in various online and printed publications as listed on her website and she recently was a guest speaker on ‘Narratives of CARE’, livestreamed and published in the Insights of an Eco Artist online magazine.