Argentinian artist Mika Rottenberg has unveiled a striking new exhibition that transforms two environmental hazards into glowing works of art. Her solo show "Vibrant Matter," currently on display at Hauser & Wirth's Menorca location, features sculptural installations that combine invasive bittersweet vines with recycled household plastics to create luminous fungi-like forms.
The exhibition draws inspiration from the destructive nature of invasive species and synthetic materials in natural ecosystems. Bittersweet vines, originally brought to Upstate New York in the late 1800s for erosion control and aesthetic purposes, have since become a major ecological threat. These poisonous plants from eastern Asia now smother native vegetation and can even uproot entire trees near Rottenberg's studio.
Rottenberg sees a parallel between these invasive vines and plastic pollution, describing both as virulent materials that wreak havoc on existing life systems. Plastics have infiltrated countless environments, from ocean ecosystems to human homes and even into human bodies themselves. This conceptual framework forms the foundation of her latest artistic exploration.
The centerpiece sculptures, which Rottenberg calls "Lampshares," feature illuminated plastic spores that appear to sprout from pedestals and hang from gallery ceilings. These works are constructed from milled reclaimed household plastic, invasive plant materials, resin, and electric hardware. The pieces range in size from smaller works measuring 16 x 14 x 12 inches to larger installations reaching 45 x 12 x 12 inches.
"I've always been interested in collaborating with the forces of nature, thinking about an artwork as something you grow and harvest," Rottenberg explained in a video produced by Hauser & Wirth. Her materials come from local sources around her studio, including invasive vines from nearby forests and discarded household items like laundry jugs collected from dumpsters and recycling centers.
The glowing sculptures create a surreal atmosphere in the gallery space, with their vibrant plastic tops casting an otherworldly light over the organic vine structures below. This visual contrast emphasizes the artist's ongoing interest in consumption patterns and the destructive aspects of capitalist systems. The works challenge viewers to consider humanity's tendency to incorporate toxic materials into daily life, even when such choices ultimately pose dangers to human health and environmental stability.
Rottenberg, known for her previous work exploring themes of consumption and capitalism, uses "Vibrant Matter" to raise questions about human agency and the need for regeneration in damaged ecosystems. The exhibition includes both sculptural works and video installations that examine these complex relationships between natural and artificial systems.
"I am interested in these human-made systems where the starting point is to have no clue what is really going on and to try to impose a certain logic on things, and the madness of that," Rottenberg stated. This philosophy is reflected throughout the exhibition, where seemingly rational human interventions in nature have led to unintended consequences.
The exhibition represents Rottenberg's first solo show in Spain and continues her long-standing exploration of environmental themes through mixed-media installations. The artist's Instagram account provides additional insights into her creative process and previous works that have addressed similar themes of environmental destruction and human consumption.
"Vibrant Matter" will remain on view at Hauser & Wirth Menorca through October 26, offering visitors an opportunity to experience Rottenberg's unique perspective on the intersection of natural and artificial materials in contemporary art. The exhibition serves as both an aesthetic experience and a meditation on humanity's complex relationship with the environments we inhabit and often inadvertently damage.
