Seçil Yaylalı

The fern whose roots touch the Amazon

2024, Sinopale Biennial

installation (screen printing on recycled fabric, pieces of 40cmx60cm units, placement sizes may vary. (Placement size approx: 35mx15mx60cm)

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The installation ‘The fern whose roots touch the Amazon’ invites visitors to explore the complex connections between nature, history and personal identity. Founded as a trading colony in the 7th century BC, Sinop is home to a rich heritage and ancient ferns that have existed for over 300 million years. These ferns, which reproduce through spores and whose roots have medicinal and poisonous properties, symbolise resilience and interconnectedness.

In the workshop, the roots of the fern were explained to the participating women from Sinop, allowing them to examine the roots of other plants. They imagined their own unique roots representing experiences and memories connected to their city. In this workshop, the participating women formed the basis of the project and talked about themselves and drew sketches.

After the workshop, Seçil Yaylalı worked on these drawings and developed a series of symbols. She transformed the drawings into screen prints and created flags made of recycled fabrics. These flags will form an installation in the courtyard of the old prison in Sinop in a shape resembling a root and were also placed on certain streets of Sinop.