On Biology: Luiza Cardenuto

Discarded wooden pieces, urban interventions, detailed drawings of plants and endangered species: these are some of the characteristics of brazilian artist Luiza Cardenuto. She creates large linoleum block prints, installations made of recycled materials and interactive sculptures, all with one focus in mind: to highlight the existing contrasts between nature and urban spaces. Her engravings are based off of photographic references from which she is able to build small biodiverse ecosystems that can be later transferred to the city's streets.

To Luiza, urban spaces and nature itself are viewed as two parts of one living organism: the environment we occupy. How do we interact with the immediate natural environments that surround our neighborhoods and our homes? By bringing nature to the center of urban landscapes, Luiza's work breaks with the idea that nature is an idealized place, far from our own personal comprehensions. We start to understand our role in shaping the landscapes instead of simply adapting to them.

Much is discussed about the human impact on nature, however Luiza's work offers an opposite question: how does nature impact us? What are the benefits to approximate the two?

Luiza's drawings are scattered throughout Philadelphia, New York City and Pittsburgh and they solidify the idea that the urban environments are merely a reflection of the harmony found in the natural world. In order to discuss sustainability within artistic practices, we must first understand our own positioning inside the natural world. Cardenuto's large panels operate as clear mirrors, reflecting the close similarities between all the living organisms, building a rich narrative about nature and its sensibilities.

Ultimately, what is the role of nature in art?