Ramos idea to grow seeds intertwined in a rope is challenging. Her concept entails a risk of uncertainty since she can not guarantee successful shoots. A sprout-intermeshed robe is hanging from a branch of a lifeless tree. On a nearby table a spoon and a plate are presented and transformed into subversive utensils. Both objects represent a symbolic meaning, express uselessness and the lack of nourishment.
With her latest work, Ramos is trying to draw attention to the drought in Africa, where mothers from poor stricken communities bind their stomachs to numb their pain of hunger. Aid agencies have already warned governments and the public of another unfolding humanitarian crisis.
Image: Velvet Zoe Ramos, Culitvate, 2011, dimensions variable, installation view at Queens Wood, Highgate, London
Renée Pfister, 2011