Studio 87, Valletta, Malta
Solo, curated by Justine Balzan Demajo
December 2020
Everyone should keep plants. Plants teaches you life and death. Plants teaches you that life ain't fairand that what is neglected thrives, while what is passionately taken care of dies. Plants bring the joyof harvesting, the frustration with invasive pests, the watering routine.
Plants encourage a ritual, themorning coffee overlooking blossoming greenery, pruning and nurturing as closure of hectic days.
Plants are islands, independent ecosystems which are able to survive on bare essentials proving theconditions are just right.Plants stand on their own.
The act of growing and nurturing plants was deemed archaic and passe before Covid-19 initial lockdown, as were other activities such as baking bread, knitting and amateur painting.Humans became plants in the pandemic. Confined to their space, comforted by technology, asignificant number of individuals flourished alone, while others dwindled when the human contactwas rendered minimal.All in isolation.Just like a lonely plant on a windowsill.Just like forgotten herbs in a sunny balcony while the family was on holiday.Just like the garden whose elderly owner was in hospital due to Covid 19.Now, close to a year since the initial news about the new virus, many managed to adapt to the newrealities. Most are expecting a rollback, others riding the wave by exploiting takeaway deliverypeople while others are still terrified and still sanitize every single preserve delivered on theirdoorstep from the minimarket round the corner.
In August most plants sleep, become dormant. May we believe that when they start blooming again,the pandemic would be under control and on its way out.People who keep plants are grounded in time. People who keep plants shake off the depressingdarkness out of their window at 6pm knowing that the plants they hurried home to water will bloomand reward in March.Plants will still bloom if the pandemic remains and deaths are sky high.Plants will still continue the cycle of life.In isolation.
We attach to plants as they offer stability. We know where we stand with them.
Water, sun, vitamins,a little stroke of luck and viola.
Humans are complex.Humans are bi. Polyamorous. Flactuating. Platonic.
Friends with weed are better than friends in high places.But some prefer friends who grow chilis and invite them over for harissa over plant talk. Or simpledates that started online over comments or DM’s complimenting pictures of plants posted online.Now we just hope that once the pandemic is over, Recycle Malta group on Facebook won’t beflooded with posts offering pots of all shapes and sizes, and the enrichment caused by tranquility ofsolitude would flow into post-pandemic normality.
