The Araucaria Project: my journey to discover the sacred

"The Araucaria Project: my journey to discover the sacred'' is a research-based film about the presence of the Chilean native tree “Araucaria araucana” or “Monkey Puzzle tree” in the UK. The video essay blends a documentary and poetic style, to investigate the origin of the name in English and its relationship with its autochthonous name. Hence, it explores the idea of identification through landscape and Botanics. It relies on subjects such as migration, post colonialism, identity, and the sacredness of the tree.

How important is cultural natural heritage for the preservation of endangered species? Can we identify ourselves with nature? In the case of transplanting species, can we talk about decolonization through plants?

To answer these and more questions, the artist will talk with Martind Gardner from the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh RBGE (UK) and David Geyde (UK), author of “Araucaria the Monkey Puzzle”

Fiorella Angelini (1990) is a Chilean artist based in London. She just graduated from the MFA Master in Fine Art Media, at The Slade School of Art (University College of London), as a beneficiary of “Becas Chile” from the Chilean Government. 

In 2012 she achieved a Bachelor in Fine Art (BFA) and in 2013 a Pedagogy Degree at Universidad Finis Terrae (CL). She has exhibited in South America, Europe, and Asia. Among her latest exhibitions are: “Slade Summer Shows 2021” at Slade School of Art (UK); "Form" at CICA Museum (KR); "London Grads Now" at Saatchi Gallery (UK); "RCA & Slade Degree Show" at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery (UK); "Imagino el mar" solo show Sala Arte CCU (CL); "Poetry Festival" at NCLA Centre Literary Arts (UK).

Angelini’s work spans installation, photography and video to explore the issues that affect nature, territory, and memory. As an artist, she’s interested in pushing the boundaries of video and analogue photography, as a component within installation and sculptural pieces. Metals, plastics and natural fibres are the materials she uses to transform the photographs into volumetric elements. While fiction and documentary are some of the approaches she uses for video making. The work relies on the South American terrain and how (post) colonialism marks the territory and explores the idea of belonging as a fleeting identification with the landscape.