Oakmoss (Evernia Prunastri)

Within this work (full title 12:10 46˚41.617’N 006˚27.899’E Oakmoss (Evernia Prunastri)) shown at Espace dAM, Romainmôtier – the artist lit and transmitted hand-rolled cones of Oakmoss incense. The works title marks the precise time, date, and GPS location where the Oakmoss was harvested. Each incense cone is placed upon x3 5 Swiss Franc coins (welded together as make-shift incense holders). This editing of ‘Fiat’ currency is intended to pose the question why it is deemed unlawful to deface coinage, but not (as yet) unlawful for governments and multinationals to continue to destroy the Natural World and our Planets Eco-System. When the cones are lit to transmit an Oakmoss scent and gradually smoulder to ash the coinage below is proved to be defiant and worthless anyway. By symbolically placing the Natural World above and before ‘fiat’ currencies (representing profit margins and the era of Late Capitalism) it is intended that the viewer/receptor might become more fully aware to the increasing reality that, if the natural world is not safeguarded, then traditional financial systems shall rapidly become obsolete anyway. Incense is the most ancient and original form of scent transmission and has been used both ceremonially and ritualistically for millennia. Interestingly the word perfume originates from the Latin ‘per fumus’ meaning ‘through smoke’.

Dimensions variable.

Hand-rolled Oakmoss cones, x9 Five Swiss Franc Coins, scent composition (Notes of: Oakmoss).