BIOCENTRIC SPACE
Alternative ways of living and conceiving spaces privilege the connection with nature. The exhibition 'Life' by Olafur Eliasson, at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, ponders life from a biocentric perspective, away from the traditional human-centered view. The exhibition intertwines the museum space (which becomes an open space), the surrounding park, the urban landscape and nature, to erase the structural boundaries between the inside and the outside, the cultural and the environment. With the building's glass facade removed - thanks to the task of architect Renzo Piano - people can walk on the dark wooden walkways that extend over a continuous pond that begins in the garden and enters the gallery that houses a variety of vegetation and microorganisms. According to Eliasson, "through the smells of plants and water, the sounds of the surroundings, the humidity in the air, visitors are always invited to use more than just vision to explore the artwork." Visitors can tour the exhibit at any time as it is open day and night and there are no doors or windows to impede entry. However, the way it is experienced changes substantially: water appears bright green in daylight and fluorescent at night, an effect achieved by a combination of ultraviolet light and a fluorescent dye in water, known as uranine.
Photo courtesy of Olafur Eliasson, Fondation Beyeler.
