‘The physical description of the world presents a picture of all that exists in space-of the simultaneous action of natural forces together with the phenomena which they produce. But if we would correctly comprehend nature, we must not entirely or absolutely separate the consideration of the present state of things from that of the successive phases through which they have passed.’

-Cosmos, Alexander von Humboldt

Art is experiential and an agent for change. Wilding, not re-wilding, or simply restoring what was lost, is an active pursuit of beauty, that looks to the future and recognizes the interrelationships between aesthetics, human experience, and ecology, suggested in Oliver Rackham’s The History of the Countryside (1986) which states, the ways in which a ‘landscape is lost’ are divided into four categories: loss of beauty, loss of freedom, loss of wildlife and vegetation, loss of meaning. Together, Art & Wilding can address this loss and inspire new meaning through a practice of curiosity that reveals the beauty of not just nature, but of common things. In the seeming simplicity of ordinary things . . . you find elegant complexity, history and process. Landscape, like art, emerges out of this context, real and imagined. Andrea Wulf writes, ‘Fascinated by scientific instruments, measurements and observations, (Humboldt) was driven by a sense of wonder as well. Of course, nature had to be measured and analyzed, but he believed that a great part of our response to the natural world should be based on the senses and emotions.’ Our future, ever evolving, requires experiments and tools to represent and negotiate these shifting landscapes.

Speaker: Mark Thomann, Director, wHY Landscape (NYC/LA)

wHY Landscape, directed by Mark Thomann, has gained a strong international reputation in recent years; collaborating with architects and gardeners, artists and engineers, to challenge the traditional divide between architecture and landscape, radically integrating the natural world and the built environment. The team of internationally recognized designers bring the vision, skillset and technical expertise necessary to make experiences and places, celebrating human potentiality and generating sustainable solutions to contemporary urban issues.

Through site-specific strategies which highlight the role of public art, local topography, and native planting, wHY reveals the continuity between human creativity and the natural world. By re-introducing elements of wildness and artistry into urban green spaces, wHY creates environments where communities can flourish and biodiversity thrives – whether a park, a plaza or a rooftop garden. The result is a holistic vision of health, resiliency, wit and creativity, where we are connected to the world around us.