Set to open on February 17, Not Natural explores the rising tensions between the things we consider natural and our man-made creations.
With AI on the rise and science and technology moving forward at a dizzying pace, many of us are feeling a certain uneasiness about what the future may look like.
Science Gallery at the University of Melbourne is exploring just that with its latest free exhibition. Running from February 17 to June 29 2024, Not Natural showcases interesting and unsettling new works that highlight the artificial ways humans interact with our natural world.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
At the centre of the exhibition, find Patricia Piccinini’s Kindred, a large-scale sculpture of a hybrid orangutan-human family that sets the tone for everything else the gallery has in store for visitors.
Other displays include Emma Bugg and Prof Andrew Pask’s work to bring the Tasmanian tiger back from extinction featuring real animal specimens, Neil Mendoza’s machine learning controlled animated Spam can robots, and Tully Arnot’s ceramic whistle that allows humans to speak to birds.
Elsewhere, Murri and European artist Tahlia Palmer explores a staple pre-colonial Australian food crop that was destroyed by the introduction of sheep, Robert Hengeveld goes to extreme lengths to grow and maintain the perfectly manicured lawn and Noémie Soula speculates on how to use data-based DNA to respond to increasing pollution levels.
On March 22 and 23, the gallery will also host two Masterchef-inspired kitchen face-off events where scientists, artists and philosophers will explore lab-grown meats, future food cults and more.
“Not Natural brings together a series of speculative projects that intersect biology, design and technology and ask some bold questions about the future we are currently stepping into,” says Science Gallery co-curator Tilly Boleyn.
“Are we redesigning evolution or is evolution re-designing us – and just because we can, should we?”
For more information on Not Natural at Science Gallery Melbourne, head here.
