Studio Orta

In 'Lifeguard Amazonia' the figure has assembled a vibrant and diverse collection of flowers along the long linen tarpaulin of a stretcher bed. The flowers, reproduced larger-than-life in textiles, draw attention to their infinite diversity and fragility, in an era marked by an alarming disappearance of biodiversity. Replicating the conservation techniques of early herbalists and botanists who dried plant species on linen sheets, the canvas of the stretcher bed acts as a signifier; the human figure is carrying and being carried simultaneously. Lifeguard Amazonia bears witness to extractive practices, the degradation of our natural environments, and the care needed to heal the traumas inflicted.

Informed by expeditions to the Amazon rainforest undertaken in collaboration with scientists, the work draws on an extensive photographic archive of plant species assembled by the artists. The sculpture reflects Lucy + Jorge Orta’s ongoing engagement with material transformation and ecological inquiry.