LABINAC /artists maria thereza alves and jimmie durham express 'echoes of the forest' in serpentine green marble at venice biennale

at the greenhouse of the royal gardens at the venice architecture biennale, artists maria thereza alves and jimmie durham present selected works from design collective LABINAC. the duo creates the collection in celebration of the garden’s research center which opened during this year’s event. the series comprises research and work tables in marble for the greenhouse at piazza san marco in venice, which has just seen a restoration by the venice gardens foundation as it had been hidden and left to decay for years. noting the spirit of the work, maria thereza alves comments: ‘architecture must begin with a specific place, considering the nature of the surrounding, every building is made in a garden whether or not that is recognised.’

images courtesy of LABINAC

for the venice architecture biennale, LABINAC dubs its collection ‘echoes of the forest.’ the exhibition at the royal gardens’ greenhouse presents twenty one tables designed by the two artists specifically for the event, along with hand-blown glass vases, and a chandelier of broken murano glass. the tables will remain as a permanent, site-specific installation at the venue after the end of the biennale. designing the tables, maria thereza alves and jimmie durham took inspiration from the endemic mediterranean pine tree. the tables are expressed in serpentine green marble to show the tree as see from both above and below.

LABINAC scatters its arboreal collection ‘echoes of the forest’ throughout the greenhouse in venice as a didactic reminder of the lessons that can be learned by nature. jimmie durham notes: ‘we humans always need to know that the rest of nature is close.’ the collection emphasizes the necessity and challenges to engage in an inclusive dialogue, which encourages relational practices. inaugurated on may 18th, 2021, the twenty one tables will remain at the greenhouse permanently following the closing of this year’s biennale.

project info:

project title: echoes of the forest

author: LABINAC (thereza alves, jimmie durham)

location: greenhouse at the royal gardens, piazza san marco, venice

event: venice architecture biennale 2021