This work by Tiravanija makes reference to Maison Tropicale (tropical house, 1951), a kind of precast habitation for those living in the French colonies of the African continent, developed by the architect Jean Prouvé (1901-1984). Inside the work, there are some palm trees species, videos, and displays with objects related to the Arecaceae family, of which they are part. In addition to making reference to an icon of the history of modern architecture, Rirkrit Tiravanija’s version adds a sociocultural analysis regarding the botanic species that gives name to the work, a symbol of the tropical imaginary, to the purely scientific vision of a Botanical Garden.

Originally conceived for the 27^th São Paulo Bienal (2006), the work had its first open-air installation at Inhotim, with the collaboration of the Institute’s Botanical Garden staff.