Becoming moss – reimagining vitality in the seasons of Finland

Ymmärrys ry is proud to announce co-founder Eline‘s Master’s Thesis. She graduated this Autumn from Aalto University’s Master’s Programme in Visual Cultures, Curating and Contemporary Art.

Abstract

Recently, there has been a growing interest in exploring the relationships between humans and the more-than-human world, particularly in the field of art. Through this thesis, I seek to contribute to this discourse by exploring the potential of interdisciplinary artistic research and creative practices as a means of fostering a deep relational attunement with the living being of moss. Its proliferous and proteiform being entered my life in subtle shades of green, whispering of an ancient and unfathomable connection to time and to the origins of life itself. It has elicited in me a desire to develop bonds of intimacy and understanding with its ecology, temporality, and spirit, encouraging an artistic inquiry which will form the base upon which this thesis stands. This inquiry draws on the posthuman, and new materialist turn in the arts, which emphasizes the entangled and dynamic relationships between humans and nonhumans, as well as the decolonial lens that seeks to challenge the Western-centric worldview that has contributed to the exploitation and destruction of the earth and its inhabitants. By examining the potential of artistic practices to foster a renewed sense of relational attunement with more-than-human life, as well as their vitalist and animistic underpinnings, this thesis will attempt to contribute to ongoing efforts towards ecological and social justice, and the cultivation of more ethical and sustainable ways of living in the world. Becoming Moss is structured around four seasonal chapters and a concluding section exploring future research directions, each centered around a distinctive artwork, project, or medium, where thinking and making come together in a symbiotic dance to inform my mossy worldings and theoretical reflection on vitalist perspectives. It draws on the theory of wonder as a pathway to the fascinating world of moss and examines how the incorporation of the scientific study of moss has been reflected by shifts in my language and understanding, leading to a weaving of knowledge. Each chapter will be linked to my temporal encounters with moss over the course of a year’s seasons, providing a rich and nuanced understanding of moss’s ecology, temporality, and spirit over time. Through interlacing sections of creative writing, practice-led research, and transdisciplinary inquiry, I hope to offer a new way of seeing and experiencing the world of moss, one that is grounded in a deep appreciation of its temporal and ecological complexity. This thesis situates itself within the socio-cultural and ecological landscape of Finland, which has informed my artistic drive and practice, as well as upcoming collaborative endeavors.