“Yet the fully enlightened earth radiates disaster triumphant.”
Radiate/Cultivate is an ongoing public intervention project initiated by Lisa Bulawsky under the pseudonym of Vertigo Press and implemented with the help of volunteers all over the world. I met Lisa at IMPACT Printmaking Conference in Bristol and was very keen to get involved. The project capitalizes on the democratic quality of the print/multiple to disseminate its political and environmental message.
In the broadest sense, Radiate-Cultivate is a warning and a comment on humanity’s capacity for destruction, indeed for self destruction. It involves the planting of wood cutouts of screenprinted mushroom clouds that are the shape and size of a small bush or oversized flower. Attached to the wood is a garden stake so that it can be easily pushed into the ground.
The aim of the project is to call attention to the idea that we are ultimately cultivating our own destruction.
I planted my mushroom at Jaume Plensa's Dream sculpture in Sutton Manor. I love how its contours and reflectivity change according to the time of day and the weather. And now knowing its an international collaboration space for printmakers makes it that much more special.
Let me know if you've seen it there and send photos!
