Born in 1993 in Chile, based in Hamburg, Germany.
Toads, black like ash, crawling out of the fireplace. Dry seaweed piled up, new grid inside the alcove. The swamps have infiltrated our habitats, and Maria-Pia Landea feels at home there. The artist brings out the natural by interfering with institutions and domestic spaces. Hemlock roots hang from the ceiling and recreate a plumbing system. A puddle of water created by the artist in the corner of a concrete courtyard provides refuge for floating plants. On the other hand, in a form of care and attention, the artist visits these protected natural spaces, these marshes and forests, and intervenes to offer new possible habitats to species that have fewer and fewer of them. She goes through long stages of research, listening, and observation to accompany non-humans. She dug a hole in the dry bed of a river, which over time became a bastion of life.
Through her documentary, installation, video, and painting practices, the artist draws new attention to the interactions that take place within a system. She reminds us that the artificiality and industrialization of our lifestyles exclude us and ultimately marginalize us from nature.
Written by Andrea Malapert.