02/19/2013

Piante Volanti and the flying cans

0 comments


Piante Volanti, who are you? Where are you?
My name is Gianni Manfredini, I live in Milano, Italia and I'm 48. First of all I'm a parent (three daughters and a son), and urban cyclist.
 
Your activism for urban nature is art. Do you agree?
Mmmmm.. I should say no, because the "technique" of piante volanti is such a simple thing that looks strange call that "art". But my original idea, it's true, started from the pourpose of making micro green-street-art-installations.


I took several years to decide the "shape" of that idea then finally I "discovered" cans are easy to get and can be used in several ways.
So the project re-started from a new origin: the container was not the focus of the installation but the plant is the "core".
And the goal is create a new place for nature to grow and survive (without any care) in unusual and unexpected places (flying).
Often cans are decorated or transformed... so.. yes i agree that is a form of street art.
Anyway this also became a technique of guerrilla gardening, very simple and easy to use. So other italian groups use that for their attacks (for example in Rome or Bologna)

pv


Do you have particular projects in 2013?
Yes the main project of 2013 is let the time take part to the evolution of the piante volanti and observe it.
Time is one of the main component of this project. This project is born to see how nature can evolve and transform in town (even in small spaces).


What do you think of the word BiodiverCity?

For me it means that we (human being) finally discover that we are not the "emperor" of this planet but only inhabitants and it's time to learn to respect every other living inhabitants of this planet.

PV


To make me discover BiodiverCity in Italy, where would you take me to?

Just two suggestion.
In Milano (my town) there's an area (an old artificial lake) under reconstruction.
But in this year some plants and animals started to live in this area, called "Oasi della darsena di Milano".
Now the works are going to re-start (and probably will destroy everything) but many people are fighting to preserve this unusual biodversity area.

The second suggestion is this project:
Genuino clandestino to promote farmer's market and self production.

 

Piante Volanti is part of seedbomb network. You can find him there.