The scent of Flowers
The touch of Soil
The scent of Flowers, The touch of Soil is dedicated to the lives of mice and rats who are used in the name of science. This body of work features photographs of animals bred for experiments together with fading flowers to open a dialogue around the ethical and moral flaws of animal testing and the human disconnection from the natural world. The withering flowers speak of sadness and grief yet bear within them a beauty and remedy in the innocent thought that, in the inherent reciprocity of nature, nothing ever dies; life is just transforming.
The photographic series is inspired by the American writer Daniel Keyes’ novel Flowers for Algernon (1969), where a man and a mouse undergo the same experiment to increase their intelligence. The themes challenged in the book are still timely today in a society that values rationality and intellect over love and empathy–a society that normalises treating all life as a resource. The contrast between documentary images, personal notes, and videos, and the clash of paper, flowers, soil, and steel ask us to fulfil our roles as part of this breathing world.
Solo Exhibition at Photographic Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki 06.05. - 29.05.2022
When I was a kid, my parents had taught me that all animals feel pain and all life is precious.
But they didn’t tell me that we need the suffering of millions to find a cure for many.
They never told me, not all life is equal.
They don’t have names, do they?
The animal technician looks at me pitifully.
I don’t know why I needed to ask.
Of course they don’t.
They have holes in their ears
and numbers on their cage cards.
During the exhibition in Helsinki, everyone who felt connected to the theme was invited to express their empathy with animals by bringing withering flowers to the gallery.
The patch of soil in the centre eagerly embraced every ageing bouquet and fallen petal. In the last week, all visitors were encouraged to take some soil with them; for old plants to be nurtured and new life to be grown in memory of those who could never experience the touch of soil and the scent of flowers.
Handcrafted artist book (r) and Tissue Donation Cards (l). The donation cards were provided in collaboration with Animalia and the Juliana von Wendt Foundation for the Promotion of Science Without Animal Experimentation.
The project is supported by:
Finnish Cultural Foundation and Taike, Arts Promotion Centre Finland
