Works - Hans Foks

Rebelles Horti Vitrei / 2024 - ...

In the fully controlled environment of a greenhouse, the aim is to achieve ultimate efficiency. The massive yield comes with a high price: the significant emission of greenhouse gases. Additionally, the export of the produce has major consequences, as about 90% of the harvest in the Netherlands is transported all over the world.

At the edges of the crops, against the glass of the greenhouse, the rebels grow. They share the same space and are connected to the climate created in the greenhouse by the growers. With resilience, freedom, and adaptability, these plants grow defying rules and expectations. They follow different seasons—those created within the greenhouse. Sometimes they are in constant bloom; other times, they lie dormant for several seasons because the grower has left the greenhouse unused for a while.

And while plants are often controlled in outdoor spaces, they are harder to manage here. For example, they thrive between insulation and glass or behind installations that regulate the greenhouse climate. The rebel follows its own path, opportunistically taking advantage of the conditions and opportunities available, bending the situation to its will.

My images are an ode to the rebel, showcasing resilience and adaptability while illustrating the limits of human control.

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