Notes along a river — observations with Natural Contract Lab, observing their Instagram
First in a series of 5
Tall, full, dark green conifer-like trees. Grass is fresh green with dabs of white (flowers). 5 to 7 people, seen from the back. One dressed in black from head to toe, a crumpled red bag (?). Two white folding chairs, with human legs underneath (also white). Between the trees, another white, narrow rectangular object, carried by a person. At the bottom, two protrusions resembling chair legs. Possibly a very tall throne. Then, a similarly shaped structure (same size, also white, also carried): an elongated pyramid, open structure, 4 ribs. The carrier is dressed in dark clothes, visually blending into the dark forest. Following the trees upward: a zigzag pattern of treetops. Some tops further away contrast in gray-brown against the vivid green zigzagging tops in the foreground. Gray-brown too compared to a white-clouded sky.
Second in a series of 5
On the foreground: tall, stiff blades of grass. Some leaning left or right. At least 5 leaning left. Grass green, mottled with darker patches. A lighter green, rounder leaf grows out of the frame among the blades. Millimeters away, in the bottom-left corner, a white L-shape of a totally different texture. A speck on the lens? More zoomed out, the foreground grass forms a herringbone pattern. Behind the herringbones, a human figure emerges from the grass. Feet hidden. Beige trousers, sporty jacket in Persian blue. Head enclosed in black (hair or hat). A brown strap runs from left shoulder to right hip, ending in a brown bag at the lower back. Might be leather. The person’s forearms are out of sight: they’re holding something (binoculars? sandwich? phone? measuring tool?). The head is not tilted down. If the eyes would be open, they are gazing forward. A dark green diagonal line runs up to the right across the image, marking the border of the fresh green foreground, blending into a darker patch that merges with the horizon. Right before the horizon, parallel to it, a row of trees. The row, a green risen loaf: clouded, rolling top. It’s impossible to count the trees because their trunks are invisible. A triangle of light shines through some branches on the left. In the top right, the tree tops dip into a V. Near the figure, a tree is cut off by the frame. It resembles a lowercase “d”: wide at the bottom, narrower on top. Branches and leaves are distinguishable. Some paler than others. Halfway up, a light blotch. Possibly a lens smudge, maybe a greasy fingerprint. (Also visible in another image—one with 6 figures posing between grass and water).
Third in a series of 5
Bottom left and top left: two white, blunt shapes—pants legs seen from above. The fabric ripples. Linen or cotton. Flawless white. Around the pants, interplay of black, brown, a hint of pink (liver-toned). Between white and black: a single brown-yellow spot on the hem. The black shows irregular, geometric forms. The material folds in sharp lines, as if creased over a stick. A button visible below. Its contour: a faint white line. The button has a ribbed texture, diagonal. The ribbon’s end sticks upward toward the pant leg. At the top center: light brown lines—stalks—angled diagonally, some broken, V-shaped, horizontal. In the middle and upper right, light stalks mix with dark blades and pulp: reeds or grass decaying in mud. Above center: a brown shape, like an upright lobster. A defensive piece of organic matter. A pine cone? A nut shell? Bark? The mud looks level. Smooth, with a watery sheen. The liver-colored area: a mottled surface of dusky pink, brown, grey.
Broken only by dark brown forms (rotted stalks perhaps), and a tuft of green like a spring onion.
Fourth in a series of 5
An image, taller than it is wide. In the center, a cluster of curling green strands. A long type of grass, its color rich and matte. Two hands gripping the middle. The lower hand and upper arm twisted upward. Fingers and thumb clasping the grass. The upper hand and wrist seen from above. On the skin, a patchy white residue. Behind the hands and strands, a white surface—fabric with smears of dark/light green and navy blue. The colors are printed, appearing like irregular smudges of paint. In the upper left, a more regular pattern: dark blue-white eye shapes on bright green. From bottom-left (white cloth) to top-right (lower hand’s wrist and upper hand’s back), and in the lower right corner, the white shines more brightly. Sunlight! Bottom left of the strands: a dappled pattern of light and shadow. The hands, strands, and scarf are under a tree?
Natural Contract Lab continues to walk with the river Zenne throughout August. In September, you can join again. You can also travel to Germany to see their work at Kunstraum Kreuzberg in Berlin, as part of Techno-Ökologien und erinnernde Materie: Die umkämpfte Umwelt. The exhibition runs until October 5.