The exhibition draws from the logic of the rhizome: while a tree has clear trunk, roots, and branches, implying linearity, hierarchy, and centrality, a rhizome grows horizontally, unpredictably, and without a fixed beginning or end. It resists order, embraces multiplicity, and thrives in entanglement. The two projects, by the collectives Pascolo Abusivo and Inelt, each interpret this idea of rhizomatic thinking in their own distinct ways.
The works in this exhibition are grounded in a shared reflection on how technology shapes our understanding of time, knowledge, and intelligence. Moving beyond ideas of linear progress and human-centered logic, the projects explore more fluid, decentralized, and interconnected ways of thinking. They imagine new dialogues between nature, machines, and the human body, challenging dominant systems of control, classification, and perception. Rather than offering fixed answers, Rhizomatic Time invites open-ended, diverse, and interconnected engagements with the world. Here, time is not a straight line, but a fluid, fragmented, and an always shifting web of relationships.
The first project, Mantis by Pascolo Abusivo, is about envisioning a reconciliation between nature and technology in a time marked by fear and uncertainty around AI and technological dominance. At its center is a large root grafted into a technological body, forming a living system that interacts with viewers through a chatbot, translating electromagnetic impulses into sound. The work makes tangible a dialogue that transcends the boundaries between human, machine, and nature. Instead of imagining a dystopian future, Mantis uses technology as a mediator that fosters connection. Inspired by the rhizome’s logic, it stands as a symbol of decentralized, entangled thought, inviting us to engage with the complexity of the more-than-human world. This collaborative and relational approach challenges hierarchical ways of thinking, opening new possibilities for understanding and inhabiting our ecosystems.
The second project, Encountering Digital Streams by Inelt, explores the fluid boundaries between nature and technology, asking how our perception of the natural world is altered through digital mediation. The installation presents two versions of the same waterfall, one physical and one virtual, this contrast invites viewers to reflect on authenticity and perception. Rising questions as: Is the digital version less “real”? How do we respond, physically and emotionally, when faced with the real versus the virtual?
The work also explores how digital technology shapes our understanding of time by contrasting nature’s constant motion with the frozen or looped time of digital media. This tension raises questions about whether experiencing a looped or still image of nature is truly experiencing nature itself, and how digital tools influence our sense of continuity, memory, and decay. Through these contrasts, Encountering Digital Streams invites us to reconsider our relationship with nature in a technologized world, and how this shift transforms the way we see and feel our surroundings.
The exhibition will be on view during the main exhibition of this year’s Re:humanism Art Prize, on the second floor of the RUFA space in Fondazione Pastificio Cerere, opening on Wednesday, 18 June.
CONTACTS
info@re-humanism.com | www.re-humanism.com
www.unirufa.it
INFORMATIONS
Opening: 18th June 2025 from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm
Date: dal 19th June – 25th June 2025
Opening hours: from Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm;
Location: Rufa Space, Via degli Ausoni 7 – Roma