To Marie / Aan marie — Liselore Vandeput

To Marie / Aan marie
2021 - 2023

To Marie / Aan Marie (2021-2023)

Series of A5 papers in plastic sleeves with paper tape and 120 pelargoniums

On 10 July 2021, I received the most extraordinary birthday present. At midnight, my housemate handed me a plant and told me very proudly that it was the plant of the mother of Jef Geys. After the initial shock of owning a plant that had passed through the hands of an artist who has so far been very important to my own artistic practice, Jef Geys, I started thinking about Geys' mother and registering her plant. Curious about where it might take me, I followed the plant's example.

Spending a lot of time on the plant and its naming created a series of questions about the status of women, the position of the plant in our culture and society, its link to social class or nature, and what the right name for it might be. The project tells a story about an ordinary plant and ordinary people. How does a collective memory cause miscommunication? And what happens if it does not matter what your real name is if others call you differently?

Geranium is a living organism deeply rooted in human culture and daily life, making it infinitely complex and layered. With an intercultural sense of homeliness and notions of beauty, it is a non-human that seems to occupy the opposite position of the “monster,” “exotic,” or so-called “invasive species.” It is comfortable, uncharismatic, recognisable, ubiquitous, and does not scream for attention but hums in the background, almost innocently.
The geranium offers a context and an excuse to engage with the urban environment and people: passersby who notice it, gardeners, plant enthusiasts, and those who care for small flowers. It has continuously interested me since I received a geranium for my birthday in 2021. The geography of the geranium took me from the balconies of Peterbos in Brussels to the royal garden of the Belgian king, to paintings on small plates under flowerpots in Liège, and to the small garden of my partner's retired father in northern Iran.

The project contains a series of A5 plastic covers with images, text, photocopies and screenshots of conversations. This form of presentation refers to the work of Jef Geys, his archiving and presentation of collections, drawings, notes and work through the years. It is connected to the glass window by paper tape and numbered from left to right.

AAC#12, Liège, 08.06-31.08.2023