Trees as Archaeology
Authors: Casas Fernando 
Published: March 2020

Fernando Casás: a note about the artist.www.fernandocasas.es  Fernando Casás [Vigo, Spain, 1946], lives between Brazil – where he spent most part of his life – and Spain, where he is professor of Sculpture at the University of Vigo. He is also professor in Doctorate courses at ESAD Escola Superior Artística do Porto, Portugal. He began working and investigating with Art and Nature [Land Art, Eco Art, Earth Works] at the end of the sixties, influenced by the tropical environment. Since then he works in different, paralell and recurrent streams: a de-materialized side [like the Idiotic Projects, the capture of a fleeting moment];  the ephemeral works [like the Wanderer Project  or the Earth 100 / Latex, where he makes small and intimate incursions at random in the natural environment] ;  and finally what we could call the formal works, where evidenciation of the passing of time and investigation of new ways are the major concerns, and where he works with different techniques, procedures and materials, ranging from worn out raw material to new technologies, which result in works that can be seen in exhibitions, collections or public places [The Termite Cycle, Trees as Archaeology or Act / Impact]. Nowadays he is considered by art critics as a pioneer in the Art and Nature field.  Among public works: Lamed Vav / The 36 Justs together with R.Morris, R.Long, Hamilton Finlay. Island of Sculptures, and Memory of the River, both in Pontevedra, Spain, 1999 and 2006.Two Stones two University Botanic Graden, Jerusalem, Israel. 2000.Amazonia / Roots. Catacumba Sculpture Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. 1989.Wood. Burgo das Nacións Square, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 1994.Big Snake. Seeff & Marks Community Center, Jerusalem, Israel. 1989.Threes as Archaeology together with R. Long, S.Armajani, U.Rükriem, D.Nash. Monegros Desert,  Huesca,  Spain. 2003.Ashé / The Curve of the 9 over Bayona sea, in the road that unites Galicia and Portugal. 2005.Apple trees for Carrazeda. Carrazeda de Ansiães, Portugal, 2009. Selected exhibitions:Solo Termites tunnels at Centro Cultural dos Correios. [Río de Janeiro, 2009]Intervention Blue in Tifariti  Sahara Desert, during the International Encounters of Art in the Free Territories of Sahara. [Argelia, 2009].Retrospective solo exhibition in the series Great Galician Artists [Caixanova, Vigo, 2006]Naturally Artificial. [Museo Esteban Vicente, Segovia, 2006]Archaeology of the non site. [Círculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, 2004]A wood in works: Spanish vanguards in wood. [Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Esteban Vicente, Segovia y Sala de las Alhajas, Madrid, 2000]XXIª International Beinnial of São Paulo [Säo Paulo, Brasil, 1991]Brazilian work:  1964 – 1984 [Retrospectiva en la Fundación Luís Seoane, A Coruña, 2000]Fragments of America [Convento de San Francisco de la Habana Vieja, Cuba. 1999] Possible Dimension [Museu de Arte Moderna de Säo Paulo, Brasil, 1991]Manuscripten van de Amazon Rivier [EKWC Europees Keramisch Werkcentrum, den Bosch, The Netherlands, 1994]Amazonas, Série Negra [Galería Ibeu-Copacabana y Casa de Cultura Laura Alvim, Río de Janeiro; Galeria Aquarela y Espaço Unicamp, Säo Paulo, 1988 y 1989]Camouflaged Earth  [Municipal Gallery, Jerusalem, Israel y Centre Culturel Bresilien, Ginebra, Suiza, 1987]De Huid van de Witte Dame [Phillips Headquarters, Eindhoven, Holanda, 1996]Intervention for Ecology  [Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 1984). El Proyecto Errante fue llevado a Suiza, Francia, Israel, Holanda, entre otros países.  Selection of books and catalogues:Wagensberg, Jorge;  A.Ruiz de Samaniego et.al.: Fernando Casás: Archaeology of the non site, Hércules de Eciciones and Círculo de Bellas Artes. Madrid, 2004.Parreño, José María;  Pignatari, Décio: Fernando Casás: Retrospective at Caixanova. Vigo, 2006.Duque, Félix; Katz, Renina: Brazilian Works. Fundaçäo Luís Seoane, La Coruña, 2000.Maderuelo, Javier: Natürgeist. Diputación de Huesca, 1997.Garraud, Colette; Boël, Mickey: L’Artiste Contemporain et la Nature. Parcs et paysages européens. Éditions Hazan, Paris, 2007.