Connect with the Natural World in Biophilia

Featuring over 80 works by more than 30 international participants, Biophilia: Nature Reimagined shares a reverence for our need to connect with the rhythms of nature and underscores the transformative role played by contemporary architects, artists, and designers in rekindling this bond. Further, many of the works on view aim to foster connections between people, creating visually nourishing experiences that prompt positive emotional responses and transform our way of understanding ourselves and our place in the natural world. As we collectively navigate our rapidly changing world, this exhibition and its accompanying digital catalog not only recognize and share a reverence for a need to harmonize with the rhythms of life but also emphasize the contributions of these creative minds in reconnecting us with nature. Biophilia: Nature Reimagined calls upon us to heighten our senses, more closely observe the world around us, and engage in beneficial, quiet moments that allow us to breathe amid the complexities of contemporary life.

The concept for this exhibition—which I first pitched 10 years ago—took on new significance during the COVID-19 pandemic. As tragic as it was, the pandemic added a greater sense of urgency to the movement to connect children, families, and communities to nature. According to Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, the pandemic has dramatically increased public awareness of this need. Louv coined the term Nature Deficit Disorder to describe how people with limited contact with nature experience increased rates of symptoms, including behavioral disorders, anxiety, and sadness. Louv, a child advocacy expert, is far from alone in this ever-expanding field of psychological health.

Themes

Biophilia is organized into three themes, based on the aspects of nature that most impact our well-being:

“Natural Analogs” evokes naturally occurring forms and patterns and aim to establish connections between humans and the natural world. Architects, artists, and designers simulate nature’s boundless shapes, structures, and organizing principles, expressed in a broad spectrum of forms and functions, from appropriating biomorphic forms to mimicking nature’s underlying geometries and growth processes. Here, nature’s aesthetic complexities, which conform to simple mathematical laws find new expressions in a digital age. Our fascination with patterns in artistic expression can be traced back to our ability to identify patterns in our environment for survival. As a result, our brains have developed an affinity for visually captivating and conceptually profound structures.

“Natural Systems” describes nature’s processes and phenomena, especially seasonal and temporal changes characteristic of a healthy ecosystem, such as climate and weather patterns, and plant receptivity and cycles. These systems, or at least their observable characteristics, are believed to enhance positive health responses. Utilizing cutting-edge technologies, artists and designers reflect on the interdependence between humans and the natural world. Their multisensory artworks establish meaningful connections with nature’s phenomena, fostering a deeper awareness of the essence of life and the awe we experience when fully immersed in it. These encounters cultivate surprise, delight, and encourage a sense of wonder or awe.

“Topophilia" delves into the spiritual connection between people, nature, and place. Topophilia emphasizes our attachment to place and the symbolic meanings that underlie this attachment. It encompasses both the physical and psychological dimensions of our relationship with the environment we live in. In his book A Reenchanted World, the sociologist James William Gibson says that such connections mostly have been destroyed in modernity but argues that “more and more people are trying to reinvent them.” In today’s increasingly urbanized and globalized world, the concept of topophilia takes on renewed significance. These works reflect a native ecology or landscape or convey a distinct sense of one’s culture or homeland.

Lastly, we close out the exhibition with French designer Mathieu Lehanneur’s Trilogy of Humanity. Employing complex software programs, Lehanneur evokes nature’s elements—the meditative movement of the sea, our fascination with fire, and the intangibility of our atmosphere. The works on view in this last gallery form a connection to a greater whole, echoing the profound and universal bond that exists between humanity and our awe-inspiring planet.

Our goal is that by exploring these contemporary works through the lens of these three themes visitors will delight in the variety of ways design is inspired by nature, explore how nature contributes to their mental and spiritual wellbeing, and reflect on their personal relationship with the natural world and the human need to connect with nature. Though not substitutes for nature-based experiences, the imaginative works explored in these three themes invite us to slow down and pay closer attention, prompting a deeper awareness of the natural world and the sense of wonder it evokes.

As you navigate through this exhibition, keep in mind that our connection with nature is not a luxury but a necessity. Biophilia: Nature Reimagined reminds us that the path to reconnection is ever-present, and artists, designers, and architects can unveil the wisdom and beauty of the natural world. It is also a call to action, urging us to embark on a journey of reconnection with nature, not only for ourselves but for future generations. This is no small thing. Our well-being, our identity, and the survival of our planet depend on it.