Reflecting the beauty of the Orquevaux forests, Understory explores an underworld, by drawing a parallel between a kitchen of a grand estate with a forest: the upper stories of each garner attention, the base and underworld of each is often overlooked. Understory is a work that peeks at the underground and the hidden heroes that can be discovered.
SITE
In the basement of Château d'Orquevaux, the original kitchen remains in disuse. This kitchen was, and as a kitchen is in any home, a source of nourishment and of pleasure-making - off the back of intensive planning, preparation, skill and hard work.
SPARK
On our first weekend at the residency, an incident occurred where a small number of the artists bailed up the weekend cook in the kitchen, demanding better and more vegetarian food, and that the meat eaters be told not to touch the vegetarian fare. They spoke rapidly and in English. The cook is French. This moment of injustice sparked interest (and ire) in creating this work.
CHATEAU D'ORQUEVAUX & HISTORY
Chateau d'Orquevaux estate’s history outlines the many owners, including the current - Ziggy Attias, a visionary Châtelain since 2016. In most histories we hear and learn of the “glory stories”: those of the high achievers and leaders. What we don’t usually hear about, and which is much harder to uncover, are the hidden, lost or barely recorded stories, of the behind-the-scenes workers behind any site, institution or even rock star. In a context of nature, the canopy of a tree is often what we admire, and we fail to notice the humus, mosses, lichens, and everything else in a forest’s understory that enables a tree to flourish.
ARTISTS
Penelope Bartlau
Jason Lehane
@HowToRenovateAChateau
30 янв 2024
