Science/Fiction: A Non-History of Plants

Photographers from Anna Atkins to Jochen Lempert illustrate our fascination with plants in the age of technology

From scientific discoveries to animist beliefs, plants are an inexhaustible source of stories that reveal our most intimate desires and fears. Photography is the primary witness to his phenomenon. Science/Fiction questions human projections and representations of the vegetal world, bringing to light the subjectivity, intelligence and expressive abilities of plants. The publication traces a visual history of plants, linking art, technology and science from the mid-19th century to the present day through two conceptual frameworks: scientific and fictional. Bringing together more than 30 artists across different periods of time and parts of the world, it employs the logic of the science fiction novel, taking us from a stable, identifiable world and gradually plunging us into uncertain landscapes. Artists include: Anna Atkins, Karl Blossfeldt, Elspeth Diederix, Sam Falls, Joan Fontcuberta, Stephen Gill, Jochen Lempert, Angelica Mesiti, Agnieszka Polska, Anais Tondeur.