Sensing the Fourth Nature
I am a visual artist and researcher working primarily in drawing, painting, and installation. My work is inspired by nature and explores the interconnections between different organisms and their roles, with a particular interest in the complex relationship between humans and the environment.
My artistic research focuses on the possibilities of art-science connections and interdisciplinary collaboration. I'm interested in the role of art as an educational tool that can communicate ideas, processes, and discoveries. I often base my work on scientific research topics or take part in collaborative projects with scientists.
I hold a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Arts in Belgrade (Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Painting), and received my Master's in Art Research and Creation and my PhD in Fine Arts from the Complutense University of Madrid. I have participated in various international exhibitions, artistic and cultural events, and art education projects, and my work is held in several public and private collections.
Walking through a city, one can physically feel the difference between a street filled with greenery and one that isn't. This proposal turns that sensation into a method of inquiry, focused on plants cities never planned for: spontaneous vegetation colonising cracks, verges and roadsides on its own. Ecologists and landscape architects call this "fourth nature", urban plant life emerging without cultivation, remarkably resilient to heat and drought, and valuable to birds, insects and urban wildlife. This proposal starts from a conviction that cities should use what already grows to make urban life more tolerable in a warming climate.
The project connects art, ecological research and community-based public space work. It involves mapping, walking the city with local communities, documenting spontaneous plants through photography and drawing. Identification support comes from botanists and ecologists, alongside conversation with architects on designing with, not against, this fourth nature.
The mapping becomes a visual installation, cut-out drawings, or, where suitable, a living mural with painted forms with planters built in, seeded with species documented in that city. Architects resolve structural questions, botanists consult on growing conditions and seed extraction. If not possible outdoors, the record becomes an indoor drawing installation. Residents can also make seed paper to plant in their own spaces, or, with permission, in agreed public locations. Nothing new is introduced, only what the city already proved could survive.
Implementation happens through participation of different sides. Community plants seed paper; architects test real sites, exploring public space and “fourth nature” design; botanists assess resilience; and art practice generates awareness and public participation.
The project can be adjusted to each city, building a comparative record of fourth nature across the LINA network.