Sarel Greyling

Tecnica: Modelling clay by hand on perspex (reproduction for Arteaporte)

Dimensione: 1200cm x 800cm

Anno: 2020

Descrizione:

he Paarl Arboretum is a haven of rich botanical diversity and beauty. Located on the banks of the iconic Berg River winding its way through Paarl, one of the oldest towns in South Africa, it features trees and shrubs native to six continents, grouped together over 31 hectares. Within this ecologically contained space, the usual stigma of alien plants is somehow pardoned. Here, many exotic intruders boasting proven benefits for humans flourish alongside indigenous favourites. Invasive, yet useful.

The Elephant Ear (Colocasia Esculenta), native to tropical eastern Asia and known for its dramatic foliage, has vitamin-rich leaves and easily digestible corm, often used as baby food. In its raw form, the plant is toxic. Arboretum. Ambivalence. Good and evil, darkness and light, co-existing within and around us. The Castor Oil Bush (Ricinus communis), crowned with vibrantly-coloured flowers, and indigenous to the southeastern Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Africa and India. The castor seed bears the gift of medicinally versatile castor oil, yet the pods are poisonous to pets.

Arboretum. Learning from the ambivalence of trees.

Central to the scene towers the majestic Ana tree (Faidherbiaalbida). A formidable 30 meters high and crowning the canopy of foliage, it is blessed with an amazing ability to flourish in adversity. In its natural habitat, it has the power to create its own forest. A fallen Ana tree may send out shoots from its crown, base or trunk to form a row of new saplings.

Thanks to its deep-penetrating tap root, it is highly drought-resistant. During dry spells, it sacrificially serves its neighbours by denying itself and allowing others to drink. Its fruit and foliage are good livestock fodder. Producing fertile soil through summer leaf-shedding, it is one of the fastest growers native to Africa and the Middle East. A tree of life.