Universitätsbibliothek
Weimar Open Access

Sarah Pacheco Alvim

• The theme of this project is the colonial history of the natural rubber industry. It focuses on two species of tropical plants: Ficus elastica and Hevea brasiliensis. Geographically their native habitat is very distant from each other, but they connect by European influence through the exploitation of latex. The many forms and outcomes from this work manifest the attempt of the artist to createThe theme of this project is the colonial history of the natural rubber industry. It focuses on two species of tropical plants: Ficus elastica and Hevea brasiliensis. Geographically their native habitat is very distant from each other, but they connect by European influence through the exploitation of latex. The many forms and outcomes from this work manifest the attempt of the artist to create an association between a common household plant, the origin of its name, and the source of rubber. As a ghostly connective tissue, the latex surrounds reconstructed history, old prints, live plants, and drawings, accepting the material's capacity to both erase and preserve the past.…