Gardening Together as Public Art
Gardening Together as Public Art
Lead artist Juan William Chavez and collaborator/master gardener Kiersten Torrez, Alex Luna from Fleet Farming, and Black Bee Honey.
Performance Description:
Gardening Together as Public Art is a dynamic community initiative that aims to enhance Orlando's landscape with native plants while tackling food justice and environmental conservation. The project will feature a vibrant public art installation that showcases a network of colorful, artist-designed grow bags filled with pollinator-friendly plants throughout Orlando. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the crucial role pollinators play in our ecosystem and highlight the pressing issue of food insecurity faced by many in Central Florida.
One in seven people experiences food insecurity, totaling over 500,000 individuals who may struggle with reliable access to healthy food. By engaging the community, we will share the importance of supporting native pollinators, who are essential contributors to pollinating over 80% of flowering plants and are critical for crop production. Alarmingly, more than 22% of North America’s native pollinators are at risk of extinction, making our actions vital for preserving biodiversity and ensuring food systems remain intact.
The event features a hands-on planting experience led by Master Gardener Kiersten Torrez, Alex Luna from Fleet Farming, and representatives from Black Bee Honey. Participants will create their own pollinator-friendly gardens by planting native plants in take-home grow bags. Attendees will also enjoy ambient music by Juan William Chávez and receive valuable resources, including DIY aprons, informational zines, and seeds. Join us in creating a vibrant habitat for our Orlando neighbors and local pollinators!
The installation is designed as an interactive sculptural piece, showcasing colorful grow bags, native plants, gardening supplies, four Peruvian mesa cloths, and an 8-foot table giving out free native plants in a take-home grow bag. The installation is an extension to Chavez's Survive Blanket Installation at the Menello Museum and his native plant workshops conducted through the art pollination project. The installation was activated during the sound and native plant performance with community partners and auduac members. Native Plant Table: The installation featured an 8-foot table offering free native plants for planting in take-home grow bags. Sculptural Arrangement: The setup features four Peruvian mesa cloths, each measuring approximately 3 feet by 4 feet, placed on the ground. At the center, there is a sculptural, grid-like arrangement that includes bags of soil, potted native plants, four clear bins filled with soil, and grow bags. The installation references Chavez's Survival Blanket Installation. These Peruvian mesa cloths will be on display from the start of the event until they are activated during the sound performance and native plant demonstration.