THE RIVERSHRINE

Materiality, Temporal Flux, and Collective Embodiment in Ecological Art Practice

This land art installation, constructed from adobe, river rock, and elemental materials, engages directly with the surrounding landscape, borrowing its geometric principles and natural forms. By replicating the inherent patterns of the environment, the work blurs the boundaries between the human-made and the organic. Central to the installation are seven pillars, symbolizing the interconnectedness of past and future generations. These pillars embody a dual temporality—honoring ancestral legacy while acknowledging the responsibility of present generations toward the planet’s future stewards.

As an ephemeral structure, the installation is designed to erode and return to the earth, a process that mirrors the cyclical rhythms of nature. This dissolution aligns the piece with broader ecological cycles, reinforcing the transient nature of human interventions in the natural world. Situated along the Rio Pueblo, the work also serves as an homage to ancestral lineages and the elemental forces—earth, water, fire, and air—that sustain life.

Through its participatory framework, which incorporates communal chanting, performance, and ritual, the installation fosters a collective experience of reflection and engagement with the environment. Participants are invited into a shared space where the boundaries between human, natural, and cosmic cycles become fluid, reinforcing a sense of temporal and ecological interdependence.