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Ariel Prado
Invasive Matter
The lumber industry's relationship with the land it depends on is one of profound contradiction. To meet global demand for a narrow selection of desirable species, it has leaned into ecologically unsound practices: monocultures, accelerated growth, the disruption of forest ecosystems, while thousands of tons of local hardwood are discarded or burned. Invasive species, the most ecologically stigmatized of all, are written off entirely: unusable, undesirable, unworthy of consideration. But systems are not fixed truths. They are decisions made by people, and decisions can be questioned.
Invasive Matter is a dissection of that assumption. Through interviews with ecologists, arborists, and foresters, Invasive Matter investigates what the lumber industry has deemed unusable and uncovers what has been overlooked. Invasive Matter debunks the myths surrounding black locust lumber, proving its viability through making and showcasing its unexpected natural beauty. Invasive, abundant, and largely ignored, black locust becomes the site of that investigation.
Invasive Matter is not just a stool. It is an invitation to expand the dialogue around what we consider desirable in furniture making and a reminder that the materials we've been overlooking may already be growing in our own backyard.
