Growing from Justin Amrhein’s Mechanical Botanical series, Dystopian Garden is a collection of work that utilises the natural and architectural ambience of the atrium exhibition space. This detailed and comprehensive project embraces the elevated glass ceiling, the enveloping spiral staircase, the commanding elevator shaft, and the living palm tree, all of which have a distinct presence within the atrium. Collectively, these elements evoke an opulent greenhouse or botanical garden, which serves as the conceptual inspiration for the exhibition.

The expanding series of Mechanical Orchid schematic drawings and the Functional Display video piece that accompanies them share the circular atrium with an additional grouping of works on paper depicting endangered mechanical “replacement” flowers from around the globe. In the centre of the space, the living palm tree is transformed into a site-specific sculpture, accompanied by a schematic drawing illustrating its slow-growth functionality.

Creative team:

Artist: Justin Amrhein

Curator: Melanie Erixon