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The Land

Initial stage of the process. Its the firts encounter with the otherness, where I immerse myself in an unfamiliar territory, exploring its natural surroundings to gather raw materials. This process is both physical and emotional, as I engage with the landscape and its elements. By collecting natural matter, I begin to interact with the "Other" — something different from my familiar environment. The focus is on the initial experience of discovery, where curiosity and respect guide my exploration of the unknown, laying the foundation for the transformation to come in later stages of the project.

Territory Data

Exploring the forest of Biskaia and its sorroundings

I explore the Humid forests of Bizkaia, focusing on the Hayeros de Balgerri & Otzarreta (ancient native forests). Down below there is a personal map where the exact points where I collected the raw materials are spotted for everyone to see.

Biome: The Humid Forests => high moisture levels => frequent rainfall => rich biodiversity

Vegetation Dominant Trees: Beech (Fagus sylvatica), Oak (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea), Chestnut (Castanea sativa), and some Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus in certain areas). Understory Plants: Ferns, mosses, and shrubs such as holly (Ilex aquifolium). Ground Cover: Thick layers of decomposing leaves and organic matter, creating fertile soil for new growth. Fungal Life

Due to the humid conditions, these forests support a variety of fungi, including:

Mycorrhizal Fungi (which form symbiotic relationships with trees) like Boletus edulis and Amanita muscaria. Saprophytic Fungi (decomposers of dead wood and organic matter) such as Ganoderma lucidum and Trametes versicolor. Lichens and Mosses, covering tree trunks and rocks, contributing to the unique textures of the landscape.

Tha main characters of the land wich are the same that provided me of the main matter are SHEEP, FUNGI and TREES

Gatherings

I collect main matter to work with but also some for textures, shape and color inspiration. There is algo a digital collect mainly for shapes to create bodies.

Matter gatherings

  • White tree PULP: its pre-decomposed by white rot fungus, which naturally breaks down lignin — the same step the paper industry achieves chemically. This biological process softens the plant fibers, making them easier to work with for papermaking.

  • Green Tree PULP: decomposed by Chlorociboria aeruginascens which produces a blue-green pigment called xylindein, which seeps into the wood fibers and stains them from within => while the fungus digests the pulp, it also dyes it, leaving behind beautifully pigmented, partially decomposed material

  • Eucalipto´s bark: contains natural tannins and pigments that can be extracted to dye fabrics in earthy tones, ranging from soft pinks and browns to deep rusts.

  • Clay: has binding, plastic, and mineral-rich properties that make it an ideal base for biomaterials. It holds moisture, shapes easily, and hardens when dried or fired. When combined with organic fibers or biopolymers, clay can create strong, breathable, and compostable composites

  • Raw wool: Latxa (local breed) raw wool is coarse, durable, and rich in lanolin, making it ideal for insulation and biotextiles => although I didn’t gather it myself — the lab Ive been working (Bdc) collects it from local farmers as it's considered waste material.

Digiltal gatherings (shapes)

This are the digital collects that are mainly for shape, I used the Policam 3D Scanner which captures high-resolution 3D surface data using structured light or photogrammetry, creating precise digital models for analysis, design, or replication.