Communal Tents

Communal Tents is an installation piece based on the fictitious species the »Patterned Tent Caterpillar« created by Canadian artist Jennie Suddick. This piece addresses iconic art historical representations of the Canadian wilderness as well as the notion of the Canadian artist as bearer of the land.

As a species the Patterned Tent Caterpillars are recognized by the vibrant and unique pattern of their string-like communal tents. The patterns of the tents are similar to those of historical Canadian textiles that mark the beginning of the exploration of the Canadian Great Outdoors through the Great Lakes fur trade.

This fall Suddick will introduce the »Patterned Tent Caterpillar« into Berlin’s galleries and domestic spaces where the kanadisch pattern will mutate into a trans-Atlantic subspecies. The okazi gallery will be the species’ primal nesting grounds but it is predicted that the caterpillar will thrive in Berlin’s cultural climate and will quickly invade the city. Maps will be provided marking the locations of the »Communal Tents« as they pop up around Berlin’s urban ecosystem.