Eternal Forest’s programme for the Spring/Summer of 2023 titled Forest Time – a multidisciplinary art project, taking place in Estufa Fria and Monsanto Forest Park, supported by Câmara Municipal Lisboa, in collaboration with scientific partners – cE3c (Centro de Ecologia, Evolução e Alterações Ambientais da Universidade de Lisboa) and CRIA (Centro em Rede de Investigação em Antropologia).
Forest Time programme is scheduled to launch in May and June 2023 and includes two art exhibitions, immersive art experiences, art trails in the forest and reflection sessions, a book publication with contributions from scientists and thinkers from various backgrounds on the subject of biodiverse natural forest creation and protection, with the aim of raising awareness about the protection of nature, reaching participants ranging from the general public to a multidisciplinary circle of specialists and the art public.
The first series of events of Forest Time already took place in November 2022 in Monsanto Forest park and impressions can be seen below.
Two permanent trails in Monsanto Forest Park will be linked to the natural landmarks of the forest, interpreting them through poetry and performance. Based on these experiences, the artist, Evgenia Emets, will create an online guide dedicated to the final artwork that anyone can access through an audio guide, to have their own physical experience of the forest in the public areas of Monsanto Forest Park.
The first art experience will be based on the idea of the Mother Tree (following scientist Suzanne Simard’s proposal that the largest and oldest trees play the central role in the forest). A trail connected to the natural landmarks of the forest, interpreting them through poetry and immersive performance and leading participants to discover the big old ‘mother tree’ in the forest. All the poetry will be written from the perspective of the beings of the forest – the trees, the ecosystems, the places, the meadows, and the stumps in English and Portuguese.
The second art experience ‘Eternal Forest is Light’ will be based on the idea that the forest is light – the artist will explore the themes: the forest as receiver and transformer of light, the cycle of light in nature (including plants and animals and us), stratification, the meaning of shade, light versus dark in our perception, the verticality of plants and growth.
The reflection sessions following the art experience include writing and documenting experiences, sharing in circles and short video documentation of the participants’ impressions. These reflections, in the form of writing, photographs and videos, will form part of the exhibitions at Monsanto Forest Park Interpretation Center and Estufa Fria at the end of the project, in Spring-Summer 2023.
The book published at the end of the project will include various materials gathered during the project’s development, including text by the art curator, Nuno Sacramento, reflective accounts by the participants, interviews with scientists, photographs, visual works, maps and poetry.
Eternal Forest: Finding the Mother Tree art experience, 2 November
I was very inspired by the way we were told to sense through the forest; take the vision of the forest, the sensibility of the forest and so on. I really had the sensation of strengthening my empathetic muscles in trying to really imagine and become part of the forest. In the workshop, I tried to keep this mindset; instead of thinking in sentences and solutions as a human, I tried to be and perceive with the calmness of the plants.’ Astrid Noergaard, Musician
Participatory workshop, 2 November
Eternal Forest: Finding the Mother Tree art experience, 4 November
‘An intensive journey in which the exploration of haptic forms of knowledge made possible particular attention to biotic and abiotic elements – despite the urban surroundings (and the permanent sound of Lisbon).’ Humberto Martins, Anthropologist
‘I have always loved forests – this experience added a new dynamic to my love for forests.’ Justin Roborg-Söndergaard, Ecologist
‘It made me more present and more conscious about the great importance of trees in our lives and the life of planet earth.’ Fernanda Botelho, Plant Medicine Educator, Writer
Participatory workshop, 4 November
Eternal Forest: Finding the Mother Tree art experience, 6 November
‘I got more conscious of the rhythm of the forest, of its metabolism.’ Matteo Capello, Landscape Architect
‘I already had a deep physical connection with the forest. The experience helped me raise my spiritual connection with the forest and Nature through group meditation and silence walk.’ Cathy Besson, Scientist
‘The forest as a sentient being.’ Wim Forceville, Producer
Participatory workshop, 6 November
