Eternal Forest at National Museum of Natural History and Science, Lisbon 2022

Eternal Forest

2 June - 2 July 2022

University of Lisbon, MUHNAC-ULisboa, National Museum of Natural History and Science

Eternal Forest exhibition at MUHNAC-ULisboa - Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência and Jardim Botânico de Lisboa from University of Lisbon, presents artworks from the Eternal Forest project spanning 2018 until 2022, for the first time shown together in Portugal.

Evgenia is an artist working to reconcile, heal and deepen the human relationship with nature through visual works, films and ecological interventions. She has been working on Eternal Forest since she moved to Portugal from the UK in 2017. After witnessing the aftermath of the fires she decided to start working with forests and communities to understand the roots of the issue of deforestation in Portugal.

‘I experienced the most shocking environmental disaster I have witnessed in my life - the aftermath of the devastating forest fires of 2017, with kilometer after kilometer of charred remains of trees marking the ravages endured by the earth. An otherworldly landscape of devastation created by fires sweeping through the endless eucalyptus plantations that have invaded the Portuguese countryside. Burned forests, farms, gardens and villages. Human, plant and animal lives lost.’

Since then through poetry, storytelling, visual works, and films she has been working on raising awareness about the tangible and intangible values of biodiverse natural forests. Out of this work emerged a vision for creating 1000 Eternal Forest Sanctuaries around the world which through art support and protect biodiversity and connect the forest to the local communities. https://www.eternalforest.earth/

The exhibition Eternal Forest includes the cycle of Eternal Forest artworks from 2018: Eternal Forest film, series of visual artworks and the artist’s book, the cycles of works from 2019: Eternal Forest Manifesto, Eternal Forest Manifesto film and Eternal Forest Manifesto artist’s book.

New site-specific installation and performance artwork was created for this show as a result of her research in the Botanical Garden of Lisbon inspired by the seeds she collected. Based on the stories of seeds and trees and their uses in indigenous cultures she created a series of poems woven into her performance.

The exhibition took place at Laboratório de Química Analítica. A catalogue of the exhibition including new artworks has been published and was first presented at the finissage on the 30th of June. The book is available for orders for 30 Eur by sending an email to info@eternalforest.earth or info@evgeniaemets.vision

Opening

2 June 17.00 - 20.00

Eternal Forest film screening

7 June 17.30 - 20.00

Performance at Jardim Botânico de Lisboa

4, 10, 11, 17 June 15.00 - 17.00

Closing and book launch

30 June 17.00 - 20.00

Exhibition open Tuesday - Sunday, 10.00-17.00

www.museus.ulisboa.pt

Rua da Escola Politécnica 56/58, 1250-102 Lisboa

www.evgeniaemets.vision