Growth
2022-2023

In the second stage, Growth, we focus on the underground intelligence of the forest. Based on the book How Forests Think by Eduardo Kohn, we investigated how the forest and its underground rootsystem communicates, perceives and thinks. Kohn introduces and advocates anthropology and associated ethnography beyond humans. He wonders how trees, plants, organisms and animals in the forest communicate with each other. How does the forest think? Can the forest dream? And if this is possible, what does it mean for the relationship between people and forests? Together with a team consisting of a decolonial activist, soil scientist, data visualization artist and intercultural philosopher, we delved into the question how the forest floor perceives. It led to a multimedia installation and program with workshops. In the multimedia installation, the visitor can hear underground observations, observe underground life through telescope images and reflect through listening to an audiotour. In five workshops, we and participants explored various aspects of what a new organizational model for the forest and timber sector could look like based on the underground intelligence of the forest. This all will lead to GROWTH: a forest-human system constellation organizational chart.