Traces of Memories, National Museum of History of Nature and Science (MUHNAC), Lisbon, Portugal
Art curator: Sofia Marçal
Currently, about 40% of plants are threatened with extinction, but how does it actually affect our lives? The scientific studies and terrifying predictions about the state of our environment may be hard to assimilate. Understanding the importance of biodiversity in our own survival is crucial to implement changes and catalyse measures to protect natural resources. In my project, I use visual language and sounds to reach people on an emotional level, in order to stimulate their imagination and provoke actions.
The Traces of Memories visual and sound installation embodies a conscious encounter between artistic practice and scientific research. Inspired by ancient herbaria and based on results published in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, this project aims to raise people's awareness and reconnect them with nature.
It is necessary to understand the fragility of the plants that surround us, before they become just forms of life, preserved in a stone, or in a herbarium. This project, created in a metaphorical and poetic way, is an invitation to reflect on the relationship between humans and nature, and on our shared future.
The first edition of Traces of Memories will be dedicated to Portuguese flora and its condition, and will be presented in the National Museum of History of Nature and Science in Lisbon, in July 2025.