HEARTH at the "Ventunesima Giornata del Contemporaneo" | Saturday 4 October, 2025
Concept & Inspiration
The Hands of Onana is a living land art installation reimagined for digital engagement, allowing audiences to experience its transformative power remotely. Constructed from jute ropes, local stones, trees, and native climbing plants, the installation grows over time as part of a living ecosystem. Its design is inspired by the interconnectedness of forest root systems and the sacred geometry of the inverted “flower of life,” forming a spiral staircase of hammocks anchored to a central bundle of ropes.
For the Indigenous peoples of the Brazilian Amazon, Onana is the deity of balance among all living beings. The Hands of Onana functions as a virtual altar dedicated to this deity: a space for “reforesting the self”, a reflective and participatory process of reconnecting with the planet and one’s inner ecology.
Visual and Sound Experience Simulation
Although The Hands of Onana is physically situated in a forest environment, try the simulated experience downloading and whatching the 3D video and wearing 3D glasses you can find in the last page of the attached PDF.
For a better experience, wear also headphones and lay down face up, better if in an hammock.
Purpose & Experience
Through this digital engagement, The Hands of Onana:
• Invites reflection on the human-nature relationship and interdependence.
• Translates the tactile, immersive experience of the forest into interactive, participatory digital elements.
• Fosters ecological awareness and a sense of collective responsibility for living systems.
• Provides a platform for imagination, creativity, and regenerative thinking in alignment with HEARTH’s mission.
Integration with HEARTH
This digital participation embodies HEARTH’s approach: connecting art, ecology, and human awareness through participatory and regenerative experiences. The Hands of Onana becomes a space where audiences, no matter their location, can co-create meaning, witness ecological processes, and engage in reflective practices that nurture a sense of belonging to the living whole.
Impact & Legacy
The digital experience ensures accessibility and broad participation, extending the installation’s reach beyond its physical site. It becomes a model for hybrid ecological art practices, demonstrating how land art can inspire awareness, reflection, and collective imagination, even in virtual form.