Conservatory

A collaboration with Jovan C. Speller

Collaborating with artist Jovan C. Speller, the artists were commissioned by The Great Northern to make work set against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID pandemic as well as the uprisings in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Centering Black life and the notion that thriving communities can exist anywhere, a fully functioning ice-enclosed greenhouse was wedged in an alley in St. Paul, MN in January. Containing hundreds of deeply hued plants, the surrounding ice had contact microphones embedded in it. Despite the warm and lush interior, sounds of the ice cracking were amplified into the otherwise peaceful space. It ended up being situated across the street from the Federal Courthouse and riot fencing, where the last 3 officers were on trial for Floyd’s murder.

Additionally, we wanted to extend the physical installation with a virtual environment that would showcase the work of 15 Minnesota based BIPOC artists. Working with community organizer Phil McGraw, a call for entries was put out for work made in response to the uprisings after the murder of George Floyd. The selected artists work was placed in a VR/XR environment by the team at REM5, extending the themes of Conservatory into a virtual space accessible anywhere.

Commissioned by Kate Nordstrum & The Great Northern & funded by grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as well as the City of St. Paul, 2022