Lee-Rosson’s installation at Terrain is her second of a series titled Odes. Utilizing invasive flora from the surrounding neighborhood and traditional wattle weaving, Lee-Rosson has constructed a large conical shaped structure that references ancient dwellings. Its’ placement on a domesticated lawn of non-native St. Augustine grass at the Terrain site calls attention to the ways in which we as humans cultivate and curate the land around us, often without thought to the potential destruction of native habitats. The structure itself, filled with organic material, becomes a dwelling for organisms as it composts over the duration of the installation from March-May, 2023.
Press: “Odes:” Isabel Lee-Rosson at Terrain Dallas, by Emma S. Ahmad, April 18, 2023
The installation took three days to construct out of locally found materials, including wisteria, grape vines, pecan, and crape myrtle. The interior was filled with leaf litter, yard clippings, and food scraps from a local eatery, La Bodega Rotisserie and Goods.
Site at Terrain Dallas
With Terrain curator and artist Iris Bechtol
Finished work
At the end of the three-month exhibit, the work was taken down. All the food scraps had composted, though I should have added even more green waste.
The leftover leaves and compost were added to the home's compost pile to continue breaking down. A native tree and wildflower garden were later planted on top of the site of the installation.
The basket portion of the structure was taken to a local landscaping company to be used as mulch.