Botanical Proving Ground

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Max Hooper Schneider has degrees in biology, urban design, and landscape architecture. He also has a lifelong interest in marine biology, including aquarium design and maintenance, and participates in expeditions on marine research vessels. This unusual training and fieldwork feeds into his artistic practice, which involves a wide variety of found objects, some sourced from salvage yards in Los Angeles, and others found on his frequent road trips in the American Southwest. His sculptures can suggest biological environments; complete systems that may function for decades or centuries. This work’s title references a proving ground—a civilian or military facility used to test weapons, technology, or tactics. Viewers can imagine the possibilities for a botanical proving ground, which might be both idyllic and terrifying.