A touch of green

BENGALURU:  You are a part of a documentary crew that is sent back in time to observe how Bangalore transformed from a garden city to a high-tech city; returning from a distant planet with water, humans bring home specimens of plants that are unable to survive on Earth. You are asked to help keep them alive; a neurological virus is spread by the spores of a plant that grows rapidly, causing psychosis in everyone who breathes them... These are just a few of the writing prompts being shared by Science Gallery Bengaluru as a lead up to their first ever digital pop up exhibition.

Called Phytopia, the event, which will kick off on August 21 and go on till August 31, aims to bring about awareness and understanding of the plant world. “We thought the theme was fitting because the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. Even though plants are all around us, we tend to overlook them sometimes – thinking of them as just planetary furniture. Maybe the digital exhibition will teach us all to appreciate them more,” says the gallery’s founding director, Jahnavi Phalkey, adding that the event is aimed at the 15-28 years age group.

Having put out a call for entries in March this year, the team finally shortlisted 10-12 exhibits. The final list now includes submissions by people from different parts of the world like Mexico, Japan, Canada, USA and India. “If this were a physical event, we would have had many engaging activities for our visitors. But to make up for that, we are also introducing a handbook on DIY experiments that participants can download,” adds Phalkey. 

The lineup also incorporates a slew of film screenings, workshops and talks, including a live cook-along session, an introduction to botanical art by Nirupa Rao, a session on developing an environmentally friendly photographic darkroom practice by London Alternative Photography Collective, and talks on forces that shape Bengaluru’s food culture, organised by Elizabeth Yorke and Anusha Murthy. The two are the founders of Edible Issues, which sends newsletters with curated news related to food. “I love the idea of art and science coming together. I hope people will learn to be more exploratory and curious about the city. Food is a powerful way of doing that. For example, even foraging and just knowing which plants are growing where is a great way to know more about the city,” says Yorke.  

Exhibits on display 
●Photosynthegraph by Yoko Shimizu from Japan: An experimental installation that explores the mechanism of photosynthesis.
● Foresta Inclusive by Jane Tingley from Canada: A technologically connected in/outdoor art installation that links the ecosystem of a forest through a sculptural sensor hub, to an art installation within a gallery.
●Jungle Ghadi by Sanyukta Sharma, India: Looks at using plant materials to create images that trace seasonal change from summer to monsoon.