Ideas Plantation

IDEAS PLANTATION – IDEENPLANTAGE

In front of the exhibition space a miniature glass house is installed, a laboratory for the cultivation and manipulation of micro-cultures. In detailed drawings on the glass plates, visitors obtain information on the progress of this innovative project.

Arabidopsis thaliana is a small flowering plant that – due to fact that its genetic sequence is completely deciphered – is world widely used as a model organism in plant biology. For the duration of the project, the entire genetic code of the plant is displayed on the computer monitor connected via cables to the various seed beds – the organism is thus represented in its physical, graphical and coded appearances. The experiment ironically addresses issues of genetic manipulation and reproductive technologies, questioning the imaginary threshold between nature and culture, art and civilization.

Concept: Nikolaus Gansterer

Year: 2004
Material: glasshouse, genetic code, laboratory equipement, plants, grasshopper,…
Dimensions: 400×190 cm
Location: Breaking the Visual, Pavelhaus, Steirischer Herbst 04
Curator: Walter Seidl

Publication:

„Breaking the visual“, Walter Seidl (Ed.), catalogue, Steirischer Herbst, 2004, ISBN 3-900181-10-1