Using locally sourced materials such as cork and marble from Estremoz, Portugal, Floating Floor was created in 2016 as a large-scale installation curving gently across the rural landscape, guiding the eye toward the mountain of Evoramonte.
During the residency, immersion in local narratives and histories revealed a particular fascination with the floors of ancient buildings—from Roman ruins and Moorish tiles to remnants of a 16th-century house uncovered through recent excavations. The act of peeling back architectural layers to reveal traces of former inhabitants and their daily lives became a central theme. The cork incorporated in the work was freshly stripped from trees, exposing vivid terracotta-hued trunks, sourced from local factories. Floating Floor serves as a poetic homage to past civilizations, casting shadows of presence and memory across the landscape.
The exploration continued with Living, Cremation, and Monument, an ongoing work centred on a dead cork tree. The tree is enveloped in a skin of marble dust mixed with wood glue, evoking themes of preservation and ritual. The process blends tenderness, humour, and ceremony—blurring the lines between care and performance. This piece is intended to be replenished over time, deepening the investigation of mortality, legacy, and material memory.
