The World Within - PBF05 / Alice Pallot
21 January - 27 March 2021
Suillus
“During the 20th century, emissions from the old zinc factory in Lommel caused all vegetation to disappear completely, leaving an arid landscape covered in white sand. A conifer forest was planted to stop the sandy plains from gaining ground, creating a unique reserve. The pine trees have been able to survive thanks to their symbiotic coexistence with Suillus Bovinus mushrooms, which protect the vegetation from toxic products. When the lifting of lockdown was announced, Alice Pallot and her friends dreamt of having a space of freedom and set out to explore Lommel in the province of Limburg, so that they could discover their 'Belgian Sahara'. Fascinated by the metamorphoses, silent realities, and beauty of the toxic landscape, this micro-ecosystem plays a natural role in Alice Pallot’s artistic process. She questions the impact that humans have on nature and the beneficial effects that lockdown has had on the environment. Her immersive and captivating work bears testimony to spontaneous exploration and offers a message of hope. The images are taken from sunrise to sunset, making the series chronological, blurring the boundaries between reality and phantasmagoria.” – Constance Nguyen.
