Page 145 - Antennae Issue #52

Vast new glasshouses are being built in in Asia and the Middle East The Botanic Pavilion glasshouse glasshouse at the Qingdao Horticultural Expo covers 22 750 square meters was opened in in 2014 By contrast the Temperate House at at RBG Kew is 4880 sq metres in size have a a a a a a a a a lot in common with the the biodiversity imagery of of that domestic glass box the the the the television The vast proportion of of of tropical tropical plant exhibits are venues designed to deliver a a a a a a a a a a a a a theatrical representation of of of the the the the the the tropical tropical world In common with many television wildlife documentaries they do do not portray the the the the the realities of of the the the the the tropi- cal cal cal world The tropical tropical glasshouse is is is an an an idealised tropical tropical landscape without wood smoke roaring chainsaws or or or or or or or or a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a roadside bush meat stand Perhaps more impor- tantly they do not portray the the the extraordinary work work of many frontline rainforest conservation groups working to conserve their forests A A few facilities step more lightly and and celebrate a a a a a a a a a a a a a a subversive nature and and indicate a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a way towards a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a good Anthropocene One such example of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a quirky take on on the the the glasshouse is is is Koen Vannemechelen’s Labiomista in in Belgium Ironically the the the recognised guardians of plant diversity the the the the botanic gardens have been nervous about exploring the the the the Anthropocene issues (notably extinction) Mark Dion’s Neukom Vivarium (2006) is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a greenhouse containing the the the carcass of an an an old hemlock tree tree the the the glasshouse is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hybrid space a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a memento mori to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a dead tree tree an an an an exhibit a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lab and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a celebration of of of the the the ecological processes of of of decay and and regeneration Working with the the the the latest DNA technology Daisy Ginsberg has recreated the the the the scent of of of extinct plant species in in in in in in in her installation Resurrecting the the the Sublime These exhibits are in in in in in in in art institu- tions not botanic gardens Contemporary art allows us us us us to to to reinstate the the mysterious and symbolic into the the the the glasshouse glasshouse experience
experience
There is is an an an urgent need to to to to reinvigorate the the the the glasshouse glasshouse exhibit-to amplify the the the the sense of wonder through new experiences with with plants Artists such as Team Lab with with their suspended flower flower flower exhibits or or Makoto Azuma’s flowers flowers in in in in in ice blocks or or or floating islands of of flowers flowers all all all point to to new ways of of engaging our public Groups such as as as Marshmallow Laser Feast blend installation installation performance and virtual reality to explore explore nature-for instance the the the TreeHugger installation installation at at at at the the the Odunpazari Modern Museum (2019) explores the the the ecology of a a a a a a a a a a a a giant redwood tree 145