The Invisible Botany of Urban Spaces | the Czech Centre in Paris
Documentary photography, living plants and science are at the heart of this Paris exhibition exploring our relationship with the natural world.
Plants influence our lives on a daily basis, yet we don't pay as much attention to them. Now they are the subject of a new exhibition presented by Haenke at the Czech Centre in Paris. Titled 'The Invisible Botany of Urban Spaces,' the installation explores aspects of the human relationship with nature that we might not notice at first glance.
In its centre are documentary photographs by Vojtěch Veškrna, an award-winning visual artist whose projects have featured in MoMA New York or Die Zeit. His photographs invite visitors to contemplate the importance of plants in society and to reflect on subjects such as the role of photosynthesis in life on Earth, plant communication and defence strategies, indoor air pollution, soil ecology, indigenous knowledge, or the role of biodiversity in combating heatwaves.
A selection of objects introduces visitors to the broader context of related scientific disciplines such as urban ethnobotany, phytotherapy, pharmacognosy, or ethnopharmacology. Through the work of young scientists from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Paris-Cité and the Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology at the Faculty of Tropical Agriculture of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, they address topics such as the use of essential oil vapours as a complimentary treatment of mental health issues, plant-based alternatives to synthetic insecticides that could improve global food security, natural products made of chilli pepper waste that champion indigenous knowledge of Guadeloupe, exploring Brazil's biodiversity in fight against melanoma, or how can a common succulent become a potential source for environmentally responsible chemistry.
Visuals based on hand-made collages, were created by Amsterdam-based graphic designer and typographer Jolana Sýkorová, and are inspired by the iconic building of the Czech Centre Paris where the Czech National Council was formed back in 1916. The typeface used in the visuals was designed by Heavyweight Digital Type Foundry, and its name, Topol, refers to the Czech translation of a Poplar tree.
Scenography of the exhibition is inspired by molecules - active ingredients found in certain plants such as thyme, currently studied by Haenke members for its potential in treating respiratory diseases.
A large-scale plan of Paris invites visitors to interact with the exhibition, marking their favourite “invisible botany of urban spaces” - be it in parks, public gardens, roadside or in their own homes. Despite its unmatched charm, the French capital offers alarmingly limited green spaces, lagging far behind Berlin and Madrid. The city centre typically registers temperatures two to three degrees Celsius higher than its suburbs as the Haussmannian buildings and galvanised rooftops trap and amplify heat.
As part of the support programme, a roundtable discussion exploring the intersections between art, design, plants and natural sciences will take place on Thursday, October 12th from 7:00 PM. It will feature eminent France-based experts such as anthropologist Francesca Cozzolino (EnsadLab, École des arts décoratifs Paris), doctor of pharmacy and researcher Sabrina Boutefnouchet (Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Paris-Cité), curator Laura Drouet (studio d-o-t-s), and art historian and curator Emanuele Quinz.
-
La botanique invisible des espaces urbains
Exhibition at the Centre tchèque Paris, 18 rue Bonaparte, Paris, 75006
5-15 october 2023
-PROGRAMME :5 october 2023 from 7:30 PM | OPENING AND GUIDED TOURin the presence of Vojtěch Veškrna and Alexandra Strelcova
12 october 2023 from 7:00 PM | ROUND TABLEThe role of art and science in the context of current planetary challenges will be discussed with:Francesca Cozzolino (plateforme Art - Design - Société - EnsadLab, École des arts décoratifs Paris)Sabrina Boutefnouchet (Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Paris- Cité)Laura Drouet (studio d-o-t-s)Emanuele Quinz (Paris 8 - EnsadLab, École des arts décoratifs Paris)
14 octobre 2023 à 16.00 | APÉRO DINATOIREAn immersive workshop exploring the role of plants in our livesA guided tour for the students of the Czech School Without Borders
—LINKS: Facebook event : ICILinkedIn event : ICI
