Collective herbarium

The collective herbarium is a participatory tool linked to the “Altar of territory” installation, fulfilling different functions focusing on collaborative creation and preserving intangible memory.

This activity is linked to Gambartes’ work and contributes to the curatorial project by functioning as a tool in which the following converge:

Activating and recording popular knowledge, by inviting visitors to record and share their knowledge of medicinal plants, directly linking them to the history and identity of the territory

Activating memory and oral tradition: This works as a driving force to recover knowledge passed down through families or by oral storytelling, allowing underlying knowledge to move to a conscious level

Connection to care rituals: This links the use of plants with daily care rituals, in keeping with the themes of Gambartes’ work, where the preparation of “yuyos” (herbs) and seeds is laden with symbolism

Sensory dialogue: Within the structure of the exhibition, the herbarium (located in the earthly space) establishes a dialogue with playful sensory activities at the end of the route, helping to shift knowledge from written or memorised records to an immediate sensory experience (smell and touch)

Collective construction of identity: As a “herbarium under construction”, it symbolises that identity and knowledge of the territory are not static, but rather a dynamic process shaped by the contributions of the whole community