Green (un)seen: An invitation for International Fascination of Plants Day, May 18
An initiative of hand written letters and creative artmaking invites us to transform the habitual "plant blindness" many of us experience, to an ongoing relationship of noticing, caring for, and opening our hearts and imaginations to plants.
If a nearby tree could speak to you, what might it ask from you? If you were to say thank you to one plant today, which one would it be and why? These are questions explored in Green (un)seen, a creative initiative from plant sisters Sylwia Orczykowska and Anabella Aguilera that you, dear reader, are warmly invited to join!
Our StoryWeaving Salon with Sylwia, a transformative art curator in Switerzerland, and Anabella, a biologist, ecologist and artist in Sweden, explored their rapid collaboration to develop this participatory grassroots action that connects art, science, and public space through a very simple gesture.
Through the power of handwritten letters and the untapped potential of public spaces, Green (un)seen will open a global conversation about our relationship with the plant world, taking a concept from plant science and turning it into a participatory and creative action.
Inspired by International Fascination of Plants Day, May 18, this initiative invites people to spread their love for plants from hand to hand, with handwritten letters and artworks that invite us to notice, appreciate and share our care for plants with one another. Anyone can participate in this ongoing invitation, which begins on Monday, May 18 with people so far participating from some 110 cities (and counting) across 5 continents. You can join too, even if you see this after the 18th!
Guidelines and further information are on the project's website:https://www.artnow.global/event-details/green-un-seen
To join in, please sign up filling in this form:https://forms.gle/TM97Hbd6aV1ru4BJA
Updates and participant's contributions can be followed on social media with the hashtag#GreenUnSeen.
Our conversation with Sylwia and Anabella explored the creative spark behind this initiative, and how creative artmaking by hand can help us transform the "plant blindness" that often becomes habitual for many of us. Dwelling with the questions above (What might a tree ask of you? Which plant would you say thank you to today, and why?) and bringing these into our intentional and creative acts of participating and sharing, we are invited to notice and to care, to open our hearts and imaginations to the plant kingdom. Watch our conversation here:
Read more about the initiative here: https://thesciartcurator.substack.com/p/green-unseen-a-global-sciart-intervention
Green (un)seen is initiated by Swedish-Swiss SciArt collaboration: Anabella Aguilera, Scientific Coordinator at SciLifeLab, Founder of The SciArt Curator & Sylwia Orczykowska, Post-disciplinary Designer, Transformative Art Curator, Art Now Founder.
