Between March 2019 and March 2020, the artist had a studio in a 100-year-old villa in Zurich. The studio overlooked the villa’s garden, which provided privacy and a natural habitat for many native birds. However, in February 2020, all the trees in the garden were cut down to make way for an apartment block that would replace the villa. 

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The artist, therefore, captured the lost garden with a drone. She also recreated the pattern of a floral wallpaper that ran throughout the house with a 3D template. The wallpaper was likely an imitation of “indienne” – an Indian cotton fabric with a floral style – which became popular in Europe from the 17th century. Indiennes were frequently utilized to decorate the living rooms of high society. When they began to be industrially manufactured, first in France and then in Switzerland, they were used by all members of society. Their boom rode the wave of Europe’s “growing fascination with the exotic nature of Asian cultures”.

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The resulting artwork not only bridges the gap between interior and exterior spaces, but also raises important questions about architectural heritage, our complex relationship with colonization, and the effects of urban development on our ecosystem.

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(Photo: Roman Richers, 2025)