Colombian artist Delcy Morelos has created Origo, a 24-metre-wide installation made from spice-infused soil at the Barbican Centre‘s Sculpture Court in London.
Built from over 30 tonnes of soil and clay infused with spices, the expansive installation was moulded by hand into its organic, oval form, which is organised around a large central void.
Morelos was commissioned by cultural centre the Barbican to design the installation, which is on display in front of the post-war building until 31 July.
Its simple yet monumental form draws on both the surrounding brutalist architecture and the materiality of soil.
“This installation ended up taking a more rounded, organic shape, inspired by several architectural features across the estate,” curator Diego Chocano told Dezeen.
“Its size, the verticality of its walls, the intimacy of its interiors were all inspired by soil and were designed to create environments of respect and reciprocity with the material.”
Origo’s textured exterior is composed of an earthen mixture comprising soil, hay, clay, plant seeds and spices, in a construction process that took over a month to assemble, according to Chocano.
“Morelos and her team applied over 30 tonnes of soil and clay by hand,” Chocano explained. “It was a gargantuan task that was physically and emotionally taxing but incredibly gratifying.”
The four-metre-tall volume perches on a recessed base, creating a shadow gap designed by Morelos to make the installation appear as if floating.
Around the structure, a series of openings, or “hollows”, informed by ancient burial sites have been carved through the volume to serve as entry points.
These open up to internal tunnels that allow visitors access to the space and its internal courtyard.
“Its monumentality is contrasted by the humility of its materials and the intimacy of its inner tunnels, which our visitors are invited to flow through,” Chocano said.
Inside, the tunnels are enclosed by the installation’s mud-cloaked walls, with regular openings drawing pockets of daylight into the interior.
Morelos’ use of spices, including cinnamon and cloves, creates a scented installation designed to forge a “sensory encounter” for visitors.
Origo is the latest in a series of public installations commissioned by the Barbican.
Previous artworks include Purple Hibiscus, a hand-sewn installation of bespoke pink cloth by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama that cloaked the brutalist lakeside terrace.
The Barbican also recently showed an exhibition that looked at the “disruptive” potential of dirt.
The photography is by Thomas Adank courtesy of the Barbican Art Gallery.
The post Delcy Morelos creates monumental soil installation by hand at the Barbican appeared first on Dezeen.
Leave a comment