Darlingtonia, a participatory-performance by Sujit Mallik

A presentation by Indian artist Sujit Mallik who is currently on a studio residency at iaab Basel.

Darlingtonia, a participatory-performance by Sujit Mallik who is currently on a studio residency at iaab Basel.

When: 25 June 2014 at 6pm to 27 June 2014.
Where: At-vegetables garden, Merian Gardens 
Vorder Brüglingen 5 Front Brüglingen 5 CH-4052 Basel CH-4052 Basel 

Artist's statement

Darlingtonea sounds like an infection or a disease. An infection acquired from a dear one. (I can't live without you. If you won't come before me I'd probably die.) Darlingtonea is a genus of many ground beetles. Most of the time, they become the food of carnivorous plants. 

This work is dedicated to that genus of darlingtonea beetles that are unaware that plants can trap them and kill them. The interaction between the darlingtonia and the plant becomes dreadful as they get trapped in a provocative tube like structure formed by the plant and are unable to escape because of the fake windows, which keep their attention diverted from the open door. At last they die.

This type of behaviour of a plant aroused my curiosity and resulted in my building this structure with edible things. The work is an attempt towards self-realisation. 
Can "I" come out of this mindset that I represent the whole mankind?

To know more about Merian gardens click here. www.meriangaerten.ch
http://www.meriangaerten.ch