Cambio
Serpentine Galleries, 2020
Cambio, from the medieval Latin cambium, 'change, exchange', is an investigation conducted by Formafantasma and commissioned by Serpentine Galleries1 in London (March – November 2020) and Centro Pecci in Prato (May - October 2021) into the governance of the timber industry.
The evolution of this form of commerce over time, and its tentacular expansion across the globe, has made it challenging to regulate. It grew out of the bioprospecting that took place throughout colonial territories during the nineteenth century, becoming one of the largest industries in the world both in terms of the revenue it generates and the impact it has on the planet's biosphere.
The earliest objects in the exhibition2 are samples of rare hardwoods first exhibited in the Great Exhibition of 1851, a few hundred metres from Serpentine's building, representing trees logged to the point of extinction. The newest are the exhibition display furniture and seating designed by Formafantasma, all of which were made from a single tree blown over in a storm in northern Italy in 2018. Contained in every piece of wood are an archive of climatic change and the movement of natural materials around the world.
Cambio also references the cambial layer, a membrane that runs around the trunk of trees, producing wood on the inside, a record of the tree's past, and bark on the outside, enabling it to keep growing. Like the rings of a tree, the central spaces of the exhibition present data and research in the form of interviews, reference materials and two films made by Formafantasma in response to their research, while the perimeter spaces offer a series of case studies that provide insight into the way the wood is sourced and used. Each of these investigations represents a collaboration with experts from the fields of science, conservation, engineering, policymaking and philosophy. Together, they move from a microscopic analysis of wood and its ability to store carbon dioxide, to a metaphysical understanding of trees as living organisms.
This multidisciplinary exhibition highlights the crucial role that design can play in our environment, and its responsibility to look beyond the edges of its borders. The future of design can and must attempt to translate emerging environmental awareness into a renewed understanding of the philosophy and politics of trees that will encourage informed, collaborative responses. The catalogue3 is published by Walter Koning and designed by Joost Grootens with contribution by: Hans Ulrich Obrist, Rebecca Lewin, Paola Antonelli, Paulo Tavares, Emanuele Coccia, Lesley Green, Jennifer Anderson and a selection of interviews conducted during the research period.
The website www.cambio.website4 collects all the research outcomes and compiles an archive of documents, videos, books and articles on the topic.
The website www.cambio.website4 collects all the research outcomes and compiles an archive of documents, videos, books and articles on the topic.
