The artwork Bent to Infinity is a sculptural representation of a small pine tree that grew in the epicenter of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The tree´s abnormal growth and deformities were induced by its exposure to radiation, lack of nutrients, and water. In presenting this natural readymade, the artist invites viewers to consider the ongoing consequences of the disaster, which continues to have a lasting impact on the surrounding environment and its inhabitants.The title Bent to Infinity speaks to the enduring effects of the disaster, which has a half-life of thousands of years, as well as the way in which it has altered the course of the tree´s life and the lives of those affected by it. The work engages with Marcel Duchamp´s concept of the readymade, challenging traditional notions of artistic creation and authorship as the artist presents an ordinary object as a work of art through the act of designation.



#chernobyl#nucleardisaster#pinetree#radiation#mutation#deformities#readymade#marcelduchamp#sculpture#environmentalart#galleryexhibition#2018