Plants of the Phusicene

Plants of the Phusicene invites visitors on an imaginative journey into a possible future: the Phusicene, a speculative era in which plants are the central protagonists. This immersive exhibition and accompanying podcast series explore how plants might communicate vital messages about climate change and humanity’s evolving relationship with the natural world.

Blending science communication and narrative storytelling, the project presents a vision of ecological interconnectedness. Through interviews with scientists, thinkers, and visionaries, the podcast delves into urgent environmental issues while offering hopeful perspectives for the future.

At the heart of the exhibition stands a luminous pink light installation a beacon of connection between species. Set within De Hortus, four selected plants are brought to life through a synthesis of scientific insight and artistic imagination. Each plant tells a unique story, revealing broader lessons about the fragility and resilience of our ecosystems.

The project is the result of a close collaboration with four experts: Jeroen Helmer, Norbert Peeters, Martin Smit, and Dr. Crystal H. McMichael. Their contributions ground the experience in ecological research and botanical knowledge, enriching the speculative narrative with real-world context.

Plants of the Phusicene encourages reflection on our current environmental crisis and invites visitors to reimagine a more symbiotic future one in which we learn to listen, adapt, and reconnect with the living world around us.