Emma Gasterland-Gustafsson

a garden with no flowers

September 16-24, 2023; open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6pm

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 16, 4-6pm

the artist will be present throughout the run of the exhibition and improvise on the violin every day between noon and 1pm, 2 and 3pm, and 4 and 5pm; there’ll be tea

a garden with no flowers is Emma Gasterland-Gustafsson’s hauntological study of community gardens as imagined by a future generation who only understands the existence of plants from “ancient” written text. This devised world was created by the hands of an unnamed scientist who's keen on replicating the generations-lost constructions of gardens, a fable of before-times leisure: spaces where people would come together not to work, but to enjoy each other’s company in the presence of nature and the senses that come with it. In this future, plant life no longer exists, but the world of smells has only continued to evolve as researchers attempt to recreate the experience of organic matter. Using their research on ancient gatherings such as “picnics” and “garden parties” the scientist has attempted in this gallery to use scent to simulate such spaces: the smells of flowers and foliage, the sensation of running one's fingers through grass. Though lacking in plant life, this study hopes to rekindle the sense of relaxation that ancient populations felt when convening in community gardens. Come sit a while, bring a book, a friend, a snack, and enjoy this space as you would a garden… if they still existed.