For Biennale Gherdëina 9, Nadia Kaabi-Linke is using an underground space in the pedestrian zone of Ortisei. Whole tree roots protrude from the floor and walls of the space; their wild roots overgrow the ground in meandering movements and find their way through the concrete. The forest seems to have penetrated the urban environment in the underground cellar.
Here, it reclaims part of the space from which it was pushed back into higher alpine regions as villages and cities were created. Now, the roots in the built space become tripping hazards, so visitors can only move cautiously. In this scenario between horror and fascination, however, there are also places to linger, observe, and reflect.
What would our world look like if we shared our living space with the forest, the animals, and the plants? Kaabi-Linke offers us an unusual and visually powerful experience of closeness that transforms the modern cult of exploitation into a respectful attitude of listening and receiving.
