M u l t i p l y i n g
b i o d i v e r s i t y
watering路chanD
Main structure Hula hoop
Deposits Tampons Catenary Silicone
Living beings Plants
Motor fishing reel + human
Habitat Compost Holder Restaurant table
The “Multiplier” is a device intended to promote new dialogues around the commodification of living beings as part of the construction of luxury in a capitalist system. This element escapes from the highly rooted anthropocentrism. As a result, the purpose of this machine consists in providing the conditions that let settlers –the plants- grow and reproduce. Therefore, humans are invited to interact with the machine, but they are not essential. The functioning is divided into several stages. In the first stage, the plastic elements cause the condensation of the environmental humidity in its surface. The reason for this is that their temperature is below air temperature. The vast majority of drops slide into the tampons, which act like deposits. The rest slide into the lowest part of the catenaries and fall down. Thus, the plants are watered by drip irrigation. This process facilitates the conditions for life and it also let new species colonise the machine. As time goes by, you can see the flexible catenaries deforming because the tampons become more soaked and increase their weight. In order to invite humans to participate in this process, the multiplier is located above a common object for them, which is a restaurant table. This object invites the human to place himself around it, then new dialogues between kingdoms begin. Once the
human is in front of the machine, common objects change their meanings, out of their usual context (fishing reels, tampons, fertilizer…). This change is not a physical change in itself, because they are like humans are used to know them. The change arises from the new connections between them. On the table, you can see a small natural-artificial ecosystem in which plants are the centre. Several fishing reels surround them and 384 tampons are above them. If a person interacts with the tampons by squeezing them, the plants and compost will be watered. If a person interacts with the fishing reels, the plants will ascend. The ascension drags the lower substructure of the catenaries. Once this process is finished, the person can recognise a type of luxury: a chandelier. The plant facilitates this construction of luxury, but it loses its primary condition as living being; now it is just another part of a lamp. The commodification is a reversible process. When humans activate the fishing reels again, they can observe how the plant turns into their previous status.
Plants are the centre. Fishing reels around them
People interact with the tampons by squizing
The flexible catenaries deforming
them
New species can colonise the machine
Common objects change their meanings
Round table in class
by Ester + Aitor