I like spending time in the gardens’ of others and walking through parks, even if I’ve never been

Colby Vexler I don’t really know what nature is or how it works. I’m confused by the term landscape. Rancière said it has something to do with perceiving nature, which I liked. I’m overwhelmed by the expansive discourse on ecology and environment and am deeply interested but equally hopeless at gardening. Gilles said “before we even try to understand, let us ascertain our capacity for amazement.” I think he was talking about the above terms in the broadest sense. I admire the work of the naturalist, ecologist, environmentalist, gardener and any other (expert or amateur) who frames the way we see arrangements and arrange things themselves, literally or contemplatively. I’m trying to shift focus from mere amazement to a bit of an understanding, but often feel stuck on admiration. 1. Fukuoka throws seed balls into his field then walks through other parts of his garden. See:Fukuoka Masanobu-Natural Farming 01:52-02, 06:34-07:27 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKrYuKlsJkI 2.Juliette de Baïracli Levy places white ash around the foot of an olive tree. See:Juliette of the Herbs Documentary, Juliette de Baïracli Levy 49:00-49:50 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmj5wGqYpzo 3.A Schauberger disciple re-routes river flows, meticulously, but passively. See:Viktor Schauberger - Comprehend and Copy Nature (Documentary of 2008) 11:11-13:34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXPrLGUGZsw Quote taken from film “One regulates a river through itself from its centre. A river doesn’t just flow but winds itself forward. A river rotates in its bed. Put simply, it swirls. The river chews up its stones. The minerals contained in them are food for the water.” 4.Teshihagara arranges flowers for a window garden, from a very specific view point. See:Dream Window: Reflections on the Japanese Garden 45:22-45:57 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWcmuk2tN7M 5.Gilles Clément sits in a patch of arbitrarily neglected grasses. He talks perceptually, but doesn’t remember the name of every species of grass in the patch. See:Environ(ne)ment : Gilles Clément 00:05-01:53 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71ymqD8oTJ0 6.Ferns caught doing their elusive dance in a national park. No one yet knows the reason for such behaviour, apparently. See: Dancing Fern 00:02-01:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy1gZSd4CZ0 7.Wolfgang Laib collects pollen from trees. A practice he does for “hours and hours, days and days.” See:Wolfgang Laib, Pollen from Hazelnut | MoMA 01:01-02:07 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-_92MYcANk 8.DIY TV show demonstrates how to make a rock fountain for your backyard. See:Build a Bubbling Rock Water Feature - The Great Outdoors 03:11-3:52 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8uvHrcwr8A 9.A brief glance at Derek Jarman’s prospect cottage garden. I think he is a gardener as decorator. See:Derek Jarman's garden 01:22-02:03 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbGbT5uVUHQ Colby Vexler is an architectural researcher and practitioner. He is also the editor of online contemporary architectural publication, cc:Journal and Substack account Loosely Looking. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This video is included in the exhibition 'Exterior Monologue', curated by Olivia O'Donnell and Virginia Overell as part of the 2024 MSD x Melbourne Design Week program. See videos from all contributors on the Exterior Monologue playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgGN9A-SZN9mxcQzaFljG-bxaSRPv5jTa https://designweek.melbourne/ Melbourne Design Week and The Victorian Design Program are initiatives of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. #MelbourneDesignWeek #NGV @NGVMelbourne