In 'My Body is a Plant', Elisa Strinna explores the symbolic and medicinal realms of plants, uncovering profound interconnections between humans and the botanical world. The project combines artistic and scientific approaches, engaging with phytotherapy, ethnobotany, and ecofeminist theories to reframe healing as a dialogue between species. Strinna's handcrafted porcelain sculptures infused with botanical symbolism bring her vision to life.
At the core of Elisa Strinna’s work lies the idea that humans and plants share structural and functional correspondences. Inspired by Italian herbalist Karin Mecozzi, the artist investigates these connections — roots compared to the nervous system, flowers to reproductive organs, and stems to the rhythmic systems of breathing and circulation. Through this lens, the project reimagines healing as a collaborative process between living entities.
Strinna translates this research into sculptural forms that she describes as "supernatural bodies"—speculative hybrids that embody the interplay between species. Strinna incorporates plants such as Valerian, known for its calming properties, and Henbane, whose dual nature as both remedy and poison symbolizes the balance between healing and harm. Drawing from European healing traditions, her works explore the shared anatomy and essence of these entities, serving as maps of the complex relationships between human physiology and the forces of the natural world.
Work from 'My Body is a Plant' is currently exhibited at Vieira da Silva Museum in Lisbon, Portugal—on view until December 2025. The project emerged during documenta fifteen, where Elisa Strinna participated in the collective “Jimmie Durham & A Stick in the Forest By the Side of the Road.”