The form of Australia's contribution to the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale is a natural landscape artwork. It is inspired by "the indigenous grassland of southeast Victoria." A strong commentary about the state of nature and its value within the narrative of Australia, the installation boasts "more than 10,000 plants, including 65 different grassland species."
Curators Mauro Baracco and Louise Wright revealed that "only one percent of the grasslands that existed at the time of European settlement, in 1788, now remains." With this troubling news at hand, the natural landscape artwork seeks to raise awareness and mindfulness in its visitors. The incorporation of the vegetation indoors suggests a type of natural invasion — an inverse of the relationship between urban architecture and nature.
Photo Credits: Rory Gardiner