Be the Picnic. Be the Park.
cotton and wool yarn
50 x 55cm
This garment was created for a symbiotic relationship between succulents and the human body for a speculative future. (Please note that some materials currently used are in substitute for future speculative materials).
It is the year 2120 and in our current environment sea levels have risen, ice caps have melted and floods and droughts are common leaving little fresh water available to the growing population. Cities are overcrowded with extremely limited space, forcing every available spot of land now being consumed with towering apartment skyscrapers. Gardens are scarce due to limited land resources creating a need for innovative urban garden solutions. Robotic technology has taken over, anything and everything is done through computers and robotic technology. The days of crafting with our hands has gone. We no longer feel the self-satisfaction and accomplishment that goes along with creating something and seeing it finished and this has led to wide-spread depression.
Here to save the day, the H20 succulent cape. What is the H20 succulent cape? The cape provides water for drinking when needed (pop in a straw and you are good to go!) but will also create a walking garden, giving the wearer and those who see them, a happy and an innovative solution to urban gardening. How is the yarn made? A new and inventive yarn has been created made from plant genetics and cells that enables those who crochet the yarn to create living succulent plants. Why succulents? Succulents are the chosen plant to be created. They are able to withstand dry climates by storing water and nutrients in stems, roots or leaves. The succulents will act as a water catching and storing device for humans to use. This is a response and a solution to the concerns for fresh water. How to care for the cape: The cape is intended to be worn in all weather however will need to be worn when it is raining in order for the succulents to gather the water. When it is not being worn, the garment will need to be stored or hung in a spot that has direct or part sunlight for the succulents to survive.