Rhizophora Rhizophora ii Rhizophora iii

Lionel Cruet, Rhizophora, 2021, audiovisual installation, paper, wire, sand and clay, 230Hx 210W x 240L appx. © Lionel Cruet 2021. Image courtesy of Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Quito

Rhizophora

Rhizophora, is an audiovisual installation that uses video, sound, and lighting projection to create an atmosphere similar to that found in coastal communities and within the mangrove ecosystem. The installation is composed of materials such as paper, wire, acrylic paint, and clay, most of which are of organic origin. It is positioned over an island of sand, and the ramifications of the piece extend to highlight elements such as figures that reference the fauna and flora of this ecosystem. Rhizophora is the result of an artistic research project inspired by the disappearing mangroves, and the tensions that are created around these ecosystems locally and globally. The project is based on the artist's interest in understanding and reflecting on the functions of mangroves, which inhabit tropical and subtropical coastal areas of the planet, and occupy "two worlds": land and water. The installation has an immersive and participatory aspect, where the audience is invited to enter the work and observe from different perspectives.