Imaginary landscapes (with bananas)

Gabrielle Hoad | Banana squared | 2015

I have a new exhibition opening in Cornwall on 11 March.  It comes at the end of a year-long collaboration with Dr Jonathan Bennie, an Associate Research Fellow at Exeter University's Environment & Sustainability Institute. It's part of Foreign Soil,

my documented attempt to grow edible dessert bananas outdoors in the UK. Although it provides an opportunity to reflect on our work together, the exhibition acts as a point of focus rather than resolution.

Centred on a pilot growing site, a south-facing pasture at West Town Farm near Exeter, we've mapped and modelled biologically relevant microclimates to make an informed assessment of the feasibility of banana cultivation – now or in a future climate scenario. Ways of enhancing the heat and humidity of microclimates through physical manipulation of the growing site have also been considered.

The work I’ve made for this exhibition looks at the notion of the model, both as a representation of something that might be built in the future (such as an architect’s model or an artist’s maquette) and as a simplified description that assists with predictions (such as computerised climate models). 

  

Foreign Soil exhibition - ESI Creative Studio 

Open 11 March – 15 April 2015

Monday to Friday  9:00am to 5:00pm

Foreign Soil seminar - ESI Trevithick Room 

11 March 2015  1:00pm – 2:00pm

We discuss our collaboration. Free. All welcome.

Environment & Sustainability Institute,

University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE   

Foreign Soil was supported by the ESI/RANE Creative Exchange Programme and developed in partnership with OrganicARTS and West Town Farm.