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Chicory 'flexine'
Cichorium intybus 'flexine'
A research project
by Roger Lougher &
Anne-Mie Melis
Unit(e) 2017, g39
Challenging the chicory entity:
1. Does art grow in the dark?
2. Can chicory feed the world?
3. Can there be justice for plants?
4. Can plants ever be free?
5. How would we recognize the republic of plants?
6. How do we make common cause?
(ENG)

The chicory entity was nurtured, performed and consumed by Roger Lougher and Anne-Mie Melis under cover of g39 in Cardiff during the summer of 2017.

Roger Lougher and Anne-Mie Melis have been collaborating for the g39 UNIT(e) programme (2017, Cardiff). They have researched growing vegetables in the unnatural habitat of the gallery space and cultivated chicory in the darkness of one of the storage cupboards. This process was shared with the public through performance, talks, food and art events at g39.

The artists are interested in how we live within our environment and the possibility of this being done in a sustainable way.

What is the ecological impact of contemporary society on the natural environment and how is this framed philosophically and represented in art?For the live events Lougher and Melis conspired with the chicory entity 'flexine' to encourage it to answer their queries and the curiosity of the public. In contrast to this, the artists invited Dr. Walter Dewitte, Senior Lecturer / Researcher in Plant Sciences at Cardiff University, who gave a talk about the similarity between plant growth and artist production and how our society is organised. Chicory prepared in a number of ways was consumed on the day.

A publication with four recipe cards was produced as part of this project. The brochure in three languages (Welsh, English and Dutch) encourages open mindedness beyond borders and a responsibility towards our planet. 

'The Encounters with Chicory' (talk, food and art events) happened on 14 July, 8 and 9 September 2017 at g39 in Cardiff.

REFERENCES:

What Is It Like to Be a Bat?, Thomas Nagel. The Philosophical Review, Vol. 83, No. 4 (Oct., 1974)

Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, The Mushroom at the End of the World, On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins (Princeton University Press, 2015)

Annemieke M. Kiers, Endive, Chicory, and their wild relatives, A systematic and phylogenetic study of Cichorium (Asteraceae) (Jan., 2000)

READ MORE
(CYM)

Meithrinwyd, perfformiwyd a bwytawyd oracl ysgallen y meirch gan Roger Lougher ac Anne-Mie Melis dan gochl g39 yng Nghaerdydd yn ystod haf 2017

Mae Roger Lougher a Anne-Mie Melis wedi cyd-weithio ar gyfer rhaglen UNIT(e) g39 (2017, Caerdydd). Maent wedi ymchwilio tyfu llysiau yng nghynefin annaturiol gofod yr oriel. Tyfwyd sicori yn nüwch un o’r cypyrddau storio. Dadlennwyd y broses i’r cyhoedd trwy gyfrwng cyfres o berfformiadau, sgyrsiau, bwyd a digwyddiadau celf yn g39.

Mae gan yr artistiaid ddiddordeb yn sut rydym yn byw o fewn ein hamgylchedd a’r posibilrwydd o wneud hynny mewn dull cynaliadwy.

Beth yw effaith ecolegol y gymdeithas gyfoes ar yr amgylchedd naturiol a sut y mae hwn yn cael ei fframio’n athronyddol a’i gynrychioli drwy gelf?

Ar gyfer y digwyddiadau byw, cynllwyniodd Lougher a Melis gydag endid sicori 'flexine' er mwyn ei annog i ateb cwestiynau a diwallu chwilfrydedd y cyhoedd. Mewn cyferbyniad, gwahoddodd yr artistiaid, Dr Walter Dewitte, Uwch Ddarlithydd/Ymchwilydd mewn Gwyddorau Planhigion ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, i roi sgwrs am y tebygrwydd rhwng twf planigion, proses greadigol yr artist a sut y trefnir cymdeithas. Bwytawyd Sicori a baratowyd mewn amrywiol ffyrdd ar y diwrnod.

Cynhyrchwyd taflen gyda phedwar cerdyn rysetiau fel rhan o’r prosiect. Mae’r daflen dair-ieithog (Cymraeg, Saesneg ac Is-Almaeneg) ) yn annog meddwl yn eangfrydig tu hwnt i ffiniau, a chyfrifoldeb tuag at ein planed.

Digwyddodd 'Cyfarfyddiadau gyda Sicori' (sgwrs, bwyd a digwyddiadau celf) ar Orffennaf 14, Medi 8 a 9 September 2017 yn g39, Caerdydd.

Cyfeirnodau ar gyfer y prosiect ymchwil:

What Is It Like to Be a Bat?, Thomas Nagel. The Philosophical Review, Vol. 83, No. 4 (Oct., 1974)

Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, The Mushroom at the End of the World, On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins (Princeton University Press, 2015)

Annemieke M. Kiers, Endive, Chicory, and their wild relatives, A systematic and phylogenetic study of Cichorium (Asteraceae) (Jan., 2000)

READ MORE
(NL)

Het witloof wezen werd gevoed, vertoond en geconsumeerd door Roger Lougher en Anne-Mie Melis in de ruimten van g39 in Cardiff tijdens de zomer van 2017.

Roger Lougher en Anne-Mie Melis werkten samen voor het g39 UNIT(e) programma (2017, Cardiff).  Zij onderzochten hoe ze groenten konden kweken in de ‘onnatuurlijke’ omgeving van de galerij en gebruikten een van de donkere bergruimtes voor het cultiveren van witloof. Het proces van dit gebeuren werd voorgesteld aan het publiek via performances, gesprekken en een tentoonstelling in g39.

Beide kunstenaars zijn geïnteresseerd in de manier waarop wij in onze omgeving leven en specifiek in de mogelijkheden om dit op een duurzame manier te doen.

Wat is de ecologische impact van de hedendaagse samenleving op het natuurlijke milieu, hoe wordt dit filosofisch omschreven en kan dit artistiek gevisualiseerd worden?

Tijdens een live event werd het witloof wezen 'flexine' aangemoedigd om vragen uit het publiek te beantwoorden. Op uitnodiging van de kunstenaars vergeleek Dr. Walter Dewitte, Senior Lecturer / Onderzoeker in Plantkunde aan de Universiteit van Cardiff, tijdens een voordracht en gesprek de manier waarop planten groeien met het artistieke process en de organisatie van onze samenleving. Dit  alles werd afgerond met een witloof proeverij.

Als onderdeel van dit project presenteerden de kunstenaars tevens een publicatie met vier recepten. Deze brochure in drie talen (Welsh, Engels en Nederlands) hoopt bij de lezer een open visie te stimuleren en verantwoordelijkheidszin aan te wakkeren ten overstaan van onze planeet.

'The Encounters with Chicory' (gesprek, eten en performance) vonden plaats op 14 juli, 8 en 9 september 2017 in g39 te Cardiff.

REFERENCES:

What Is It Like to Be a Bat?, Thomas Nagel. The Philosophical Review, Vol. 83, No. 4 (Oct., 1974)

Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, The Mushroom at the End of the World, On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins (Princeton University Press, 2015)

Annemieke M. Kiers, Endive, Chicory, and their wild relatives, A systematic and phylogenetic study of Cichorium (Asteraceae) (Jan., 2000)

READ MORE
The chicory entity speaks – candid footage
Research & outcomes

Throughout the residency the artists were collecting and responding to research related to our contemporary nature, the food we eat, sustainable living and our responsibilities as citizens of our planet

View gallery and index below

1 / 25
The greenhouse
2 / 25
Question cards
3 / 25
The chicory incubator
4 / 25
Botanical illustration
5 / 25
Incubator
6 / 25
Chicory growing
7 / 25
The bucket tower
8 / 25
The 3-headed chicory
9 / 25
The time is now
10 / 25
Roger, the bucket head
11 / 25
Recipe publication
12 / 25
Commercial chicoree
13 / 25
Amuse gueule
14 / 25
Commercial chicoree
15 / 25
The chicory entity, drawing
16 / 25
The dancing greenhouse
17 / 25
The chicory entity suit
18 / 25
sketch of the chicory entity suit
19 / 25
Images from the cross-border trip to visit DGM growers and collect the chicory root
20 / 25
Audience question card
21 / 25
Growing chicory
22 / 25
First full harvest of chicory
23 / 25
LED badge
24 / 25
Wearable incubator proposal, drawing
25 / 25
The chicory entity would like to answer your questions
Index
1.

(ENG)

Greenhouse:

a sculptural piece used as part of the ‘an audience with chicory’ performance

(CYM)

Tŷ Gwydr:

darn cerfluniadol a ddefnyddiwyd fel rhan o berfformiad ‘gwrandawiad gydag ysgallen y meirch’

(NL)

Serre:

Aangepast ontwerp voor de performance 'een audientie met witloof'

2.

(ENG)

Question cards:

handed out to audience members during the first performance

(CYM)

Cerdyn cwestiwn:

dosbarthwyd i aelodau’r gynulleidfa yn ystod y perfformiad cyntaf

(NL)

Vraag kaarten:

uitgedeeld aan het publiek tijdens de eerste performance

3.

(ENG)

Drawing:

proposed portable chicory incubator / the chicory entity

(CYM)

Dyluniad:

ar gyfer darpar ddeorydd ysgallen y meirch cludadwy / endid ysgallen y meirch

(NL)

Tekening:

ontwerp voor een mobiele witloof incubator / het witloof wezen

4.

(ENG)

Botanical illustration:

the plant / the growth stages of chicory

(CYM)

Darlun botanegol:

delwedd archifol yn cynrychioli cyfnodau tyfiant ysgallen y meirch

(NL)

Botanische illustratie:

de plant / de groei cyclus van witloof

5.

(ENG)

Incubator

where the first batch of chicory was grown

(CYM)

Deorydd:

lle tyfwyd y swp cyntaf o ysgallen y meirch

(NL)

Emmer incubator:

de eerste witloof oogst groeide in gestapelde emmers

6.

(ENG)

Chicory growing:

at the point when it was ready for harvest

(CYM)

Ysgallen y Meirch yn tyfu:

yr adeg pryd roedd yn barod i’w gynaeafu

(NL)

Het witloof groeit:

klaar om te oogsten

7.

(ENG)

The bucket tower:

spontaneous sculptural intervention

(CYM)

ŵr o fwcedi:

ymyriad cerfluniadol digymell

(NL)

De emmer toren:

sculpturale schets

8.

(ENG)

The 3-headed chicory:

spontaneous sculptural intervention

(CYM)

Ysgallen y meirch deirben:

ymyriad cerfluniadol digymell

(NL)

Het drie-hoofdig witloof:

sculpturale schets

9.

(ENG)

The time is now:

Poem by E. Van Vliet in Dutch and translated in English and Welsh

(CYM)

Nawr yw’r adeg:

Cerdd gan E. Van Vliet, yn Iseldireg a'i gyfieithu Saesneg a Chymraeg

(NL)

Het wordt tijd:

Gedicht van E. Van Vliet in het nederlands en vrij vertaald in engels en welsh

10.

(ENG)

Roger, The Bucket Head:

as part of the ‘an audience with chicory’ performance the artists wore the incubator buckets on their heads

(CYM)

Roger, Pen Bwced:

fel rhan o’r perfformiad ‘gwrandawiad gydag ysgallen y meirch’ gwisgodd yr artistiaid y bwcedi deor ar ei pennau

(NL)

Roger, Het Emmer Hoofd:

De kunstenaars droegen de incubator emmer op hun hoofd tijdens de  performance ‘een audientie met witloof’

11.

(ENG)

Recipe booklet:

free recipe booklet to be taken away on the event days

(CYM)

Llyfryn rysetiau:

llyfryn rysetiau am ddim a gynhyrchwyd i’w ddosbarthu yn y digwyddiadau

(NL)

Recepten brochure:

gratis recepten brochure verkrijgbaar tijdens de evenementen

12.

(ENG)

Commercial product:

Grain Chicory from de BEUKELAAR

(CYM)

Cynnyrch masnachol:

Grawn Ysgallen y Meirch gan de BEUKELAAR

(NL)

Commercieel product:

Grove Cichorei van de BEUKELAAR

13.

(ENG)

Amuse gueule:

(to please your mouth)

Appetizer, offered to g39 visitors

(CYM)

Amuse gueule:
(i blesio’r geg)

blasyn, i’w gynnig i ymwelwyr g39

(NL)

Aperitief hapje:

aangeboden aan het publiek van g39

14.

(ENG)

Botanical illustration:

Cichorium intybus, 1885

(CYM)

Darlun botanegol:

Cichorium intybus, 1885

(NL)

Botanische illustratie:

Cichorium intybus, 1885

15.

(ENG)

Drawing: 

the chicory entity 

(CYM)

Dyluniad:

endid ysgallen y meirch

(NL)

Tekening:

het witloof wezen

16.

(ENG)

The dancing greenhouse:

Roger demonstrating how he wore the greenhouse for the dancing performance

(CYM)

Roger yn gwisgo'r tŷ gwydr 

Roger yn dangos sut y gwisgodd y tŷ gwydr ar gyfer y ddawns

(NL)

De dansende serre:

Roger demonstreert hoe hij de serre droeg om te dansen tijdens de eerste performance

17.

(ENG)

the performance chicory costume:

Roger brings the chicory costume to life

(CYM)

Gwisg perfformio’r sicori:

Roger yng ngwisg y sicori.

(NL)

Het performance witloof kostuum:

Roger brengt het witloof kostuum tot leven

18.

(ENG)

Sketch:

the performance chicory costume

(CYM)

Braslun:

gwisg perfformio’r sicori

(NL)

Schets:

het performance witloof kostuum

19.

(ENG)

DGM growers:

Images form the cross-border trip to visit DGM growers to collect the chicory roots

(CYM)

DGM growers:

Manylion y lluniau o’r daith i swydd Lincoln ar gyfer casglu gwreiddiau sicori

(NL)

DGM growers:

Detail van de fotoreeks van de reis naar de witloof producent in Lincolnshire UK

20.

(ENG)

Audience question card (second performance):

invitation card offered to the public:  ‘The chicory entity would like to answer your question’

(CYM)

Cerdyn cwestiwn aelodau’r cyhoedd (ail berfformiad):

‘Hoffai’r endid sicori ateb eich cwestiynau’

(NL)

Uitnodigingskaart aangeboden aan het publiek (tweede performance):

‘Het witloof wezen wil graag uw vragen beantwoorden’

21.

(ENG)

Growing chicory:

first phase of the chicory growing process

(CYM)

Tyfu planhigion sicori:

cyfnod cyntaf o’r broses tyfu

(NL)

Witloof in bloei:

eerste groeifase van de witloofplant

22.

(ENG)

Chicory:

First full harvest of chicory

(CYM)

Sicori:

cynhaeaf cyntaf o sicory

(NL)

Witloof:

eerste oogst

23.

(ENG)

LED badge:

During the final events the artist had the scrolling text badge pinned on

(CYM)

LED bathodyn testun:

Yn ystod y digwyddiadau terfynol, roedd yr artist yn gwisgo bathodyn testun symudol

(NL)

LED badge gadget:

de kunstenaars droegen de LED badge tijdens de laatste evenementen

24.

(ENG)

Portable incubator proposal:

drawing for a proposed portable chicory incubator

(CYM)

Darpar ddeorydd cludadwy:

dyluniad ar gyfer darpar ddeorydd ysgallen y meirch cludadwy

(NL)

Draagbare incubator:

ontwerpschets voor een draagbare witloof incubator

25.

(ENG)

The chicory entity would like to answer your questions:

Members of the public asked the chicory entity questions

(CYM)

Hoffai’r endid sicori ateb eich cwestiynau:

holwyd y sicori gan aelodau’r cyhoedd, darllenwch yma’r cwestiynau

(NL)

Het witloof wezen zou graag uw vragen beantwoorden:

Lees de vragen hier

The rotating chicory entity
Chicory varieties:

Janus
Ecrine
Selkis
Perfo
Ecrine
Ombline
Platine
Monroe
Redoria
Baccara
Bea
Extral
Symphonie
Selkis
Festive
Excellence
Focus

Abellis
Fakir
Rikita
Crenoline
Alliance
Jocker
Montblanc
Selkis
Topscore
Desir
Takine
Jadore
Prestance
Hermes
Perfo
Elegance
Opale

Prestance
Bea
Flash
Magnum
Takine
Zoom
Mechelse middelvroeg
Atlas
Topmodel
Zilia
Normal
Panache
Flexine
Sirion
Extral
(6a)

1 / 10
The exhibited research
2 / 10
The chicory incubator answering questions
3 / 10
The chicory entity collecting audience questions
4 / 10
The chicory entity collecting audience questions
5 / 10
The chicory entity collecting audience questions
6 / 10
The chicory entity collecting audience questions
7 / 10
The chicory entity collecting audience questions
8 / 10
Dr Walter Dewitte's Talk and food sharing event
9 / 10
Happy participant clutching free chicory plant and publication
10 / 10
The exhibit
The chicory entity answers
audience questions:

What is your name?

In the middle of nowhere


How long have you been growing?

More than 5,000 years

How old is the chicory?

Things may have value through the social relationships and reputations of which they are part

How should we continue?

As long as trees make history they threaten industrial governance


Is chicory nutritious?

Raw materials can no longer be taken for granted

Will everything be OK?

The time has come for new ways of telling true stories beyond civilisational first principles

How do you grow it?

The dance is a form of forest knowledge – but not codified in reports


How should we continue?

Rather than seeing only the expansion-and-conquest strategies of relentless individuals, we must look for histories that develop trough contamination

How long is a piece of string?

Precarity is a state of acknowledgement of our vulnerability to others

What do you eat?

Raw materials can no longer be taken for granted


Will Trump be impeached?

Contaminated diversity is complicated, ugly and humbling

What is the nature (or culture) of chicory?

We require the dynamic multi-species diversity of the forest with its contaminated relationality

Is there a secret underground chicory community and do they mean us harm?

We will need a politics with the strength of diverse coalitions – and not just for humans


Where is the chicory project going next?

At best we are looking for an ephemeral glimmer

Is it bitter?

Disturbance is ordinary

Tell me, where is Gandalf?
(For I much desire to speak to him)

Listening is no longer enough: other forms of awareness will have to kick in


What if, but long?

Landscapes are radical tools for de-centering human hubris

Where is the dimensional interval?

Collaboration is work across difference

DOB?

Radical curiosity beckons


Who is your herby best friend?

We change through our collaborations both on, within and across species

Why is water wet?

Life requires the interplay of many kinds of beings

How many lives do I have left?

The evolution of our «selves» is already polluted by histories of encounters; we are mixed up with others before we even begin a new collaboration



The recipe cards

A publication with four recipe cards was produced as part of this project. The brochure is in three languages (English, Welsh and Dutch) encourages open mindedness beyond borders and a responsibility towards our planet.









Designed by Damiaan Melis

Edition of 150
148MM × 210MM
12 PAGES
250GSM

Copies are still available, please contact the artists

The artist dancing in the incubator suit