In March 2017 I culticated a piece of land in Midtown Manhattan nurtured by tweets

The exhibition A Field of Lavender Nourished by Trump’s Tweets by Austrian artist Martin Roth brings an unusual and evocative twist to Midtown Manhattan. In a basement gallery at the Austrian Cultural Forum New York, Roth created a small underground field of over 200 lavender plants, arranged in six rows, and illuminated by a lighting system linked directly to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Twitter activity. The concept is simple yet profound: more tweets and retweets from Trump’s account mean more light for the plants, turning them into a “perverse index” of the political climate.

This urban garden, surrounded by forest-like wallpaper, embodies Roth’s vision of social media’s impact on our psyche, notably the “heightened anxiety” in society since Trump’s election. With each controversial tweet and subsequent light increase, the lavender’s soothing aroma intensifies in the confined gallery space, offering an ironic calm amidst the chaos of viral media. Roth highlights Twitter’s role as a political weapon and a persistent distraction, using lavender as a natural counterpoint to the political frenzy.

As visitors walk through this subterranean oasis, they are greeted by the therapeutic scent of lavender against the harsh glow of fluorescent lights, symbolizing a yearning for peace in turbulent times. The installation, titled In May 2017 I Cultivated a Piece of Land in Midtown Manhattan Nurtured by Tweets, ran until June 21, offering a respite and commentary on how digital media shapes our cultural and emotional landscapes.

Curated by Martin Roth | Source: Architecturaldigist, Hyperallergic, Watson, Mashable