Invasive Pigments Gen 2 (Mobile Planters for SWC)

Sited at the Sure We Can recycling center grounds in Bushwick, Brooklyn, this second generation of my Invasive Pigments garden is designed to be mobile and low-maintenance for a site in transition. Built out of salvaged palettes and re-purposed materials from last year’s greenhouse, the two raised beds are filled with soil moved from the Silent Barn garden before the spring thaw. I worked with Ana de Luco (a founder of Sure We Can), and other Sure We Can employees and community members to build the planters in a way that would create an inviting entrance to their dynamic, fluid site.

As described on the project signage:

The plants growing here are Bushwick natives. They have come from all over the world, migrating alongside humans. They have found a new home here in the city. They grow where other plants can’t, filling cracks in the sidewalk and gaps between buildings and roads. Like all plants, they stabilize the soil, produce oxygen, hold moisture and cool the air. They give food to birds and insects, and some can even be eaten by people. Many of these plants will make flowers, berries and leaves that can also be used as pigment for paint.

Las plantas que crecen aquí son nativas de Bushwick. Han venido de todas partes del mundo. Han emigrado aquí como los humanos han emigrado aquí. Ellas han encontrado un nuevo hogar aquí en la ciudad. Crecen donde otras plantas no pueden, rellenando las grietas en la acera y espacios entre edificios y carreteras. Como todas las plantas, que estabilizan el suelo, producen oxígeno, mantienen la humedad y enfrian el aire. Le dan comida a los pájaros y los insectos, y algunas incluso se pueden comer por la gente. Muchas de estas plantas daran flores, moras y hojas que también se pueden utilizar como pigmento para pintura.

Below, the planters being relocated on the SWC grounds, and tour and workshop with students from PS 147.