Nevergreen (by CLL Solutions)

Nevergreen is the reaction to the vast areas of gray that can be found in the zones defined by the extraction and utilization of bitumen, which purposefully denies a symbiotic interaction with nature. But humanity is increasingly skeptical of the grey panorama and is trying to bring color into its sights. These efforts exemplify aesthetic ideals of the modern world, where organisms must thrive within structures of control. Artificial turf promises the ideal form of lawn without any need for care. The product was developed during the Korean War, after which it was proven that soldiers from the city were less fit than those from the countryside. Artificial turf was supposed to revolutionize urban pitches to encourage children to play more sport. So the question is whether people will be won over by the sheer aesthetics and deception that artificial turf offers. Have we come so far that we consider the distance to our surroundings to be absolute and therefore only need to be symbolized with synthetic visual indicators?

The performance took place on 26 June 2024, Oskar-Kokoschka-Platz, Vienna, Austria and was conceptualized by CLL Solutions, a group consisting of Kaleb Christian, Moritz Ladstätter and Anna Lorenzana that engages with petro-based living conditions and realitites.

Text: Kaleb Christian
Performance: Kaleb Christian, Anna Lorenzana
Fotos: Moritz Ladstätter