Environmentalism back in fashion

The current gardening project by Lucas and Diego at SCA is firmly embedded in the conventions of relational aesthetics - they get a whole bunch of people together in one space/area who then 'interact' on some level by simultaneously filling the space. Its not something new, or revolutionary, but perhaps serves as a feel good example of RA. The big difference is that there is a genuine focus on local communities and people banding together to create something that they can grow and care for and continue to share together. It also demonstrates how environmentalism and activism should work on a baser level by creating a non-threatening environment where people care for plants, learn about them and form a caring relationship to the environment.

This a more effective project than the recent MCA exhibition 'art for a changing world', which is in many ways completely backward in presenting ideas on how to better our environment - by showing black and white documentary style photos of destroyed wilderness is just going over the same motions and is completely preachy - maybe it can be likened to a greenpeace encounter. You need to show what could be, rather than what is. And this is where Lucas and Diego come in, especially when examining ideas of a utopia.