Paula Anta

Uproot. Thermal Nature. Hoist

Uprooting is the loss or corruption of roots, and it involves banishment or a depletion of vital energy. This body of work presents three photographic series undertaken in various parks inside and outside the city of Washington, D.C., that examines uprooting from different viewpoints.

The series Uproot shows images of roots of trees that have fallen to the ground due to old age or disease. Despite their lifelessness, their present condition brings to light elements that were hidden underground. When a tree falls down, its roots emerge vertically, almost like a wall, with crevices full of stones, sand, and nutrients from the soil. The root resembles an asteroid floating in darkness, connecting internal forms with the outside world, in a kind of cosmos.

Thermal Nature presents a diptych of images of rhizomes with almost symmetrical forms. They are roots and branches from mangroves, rivers, and estuaries, hidden features that appear and disappear along with the rise and fall of the water. These images are printed on thermal blankets, in reference to the climatic changes affecting our planet and the importance of maintaining temperatures that ensure our survival.

Finally, the series Hoist shows a rescue: a fallen tree rises again, even if only through action/installation or art. The shores of the Potomac receive roots once again in order to hoist trees as landmarks, displaying their wealth as triumphant masts that proclaim the sacred nature of forms to the rhythm of the wind.