Mainz. Making plants audible or having flowers read poetry aloud: At the mid-project celebration, or Bergfest as it is commonly called in Germany, for the exhibition “FLORA – Where Roots Give Rise to Miracles,” the Natural History Museum of Mainz, the Gutenberg Museum, and Mainz University of Applied Sciences invite everyone to a multisensory evening on Thursday, June 18, at 6 p.m. In the exhibition's outdoor area, visitors can explore floral experiments and artistic interventions that enable visitors to experience plants in unexpected ways. The program is rounded off with songs by “Spurenelemente,” herb-infused snacks, and the presentation of the new companion book.
“With the companion volume, we are creating an additional space for experiences alongside the exhibition. It doesn’t just document the projects; it takes their ideas further, in both analogue and digital formats and with many surprising perspectives on the world of plants,” says Anja Stöffler, Professor of Digital Design at Mainz University of Applied Sciences and director of the project. The contributions to the companion volume go well beyond the exhibition itself. They deepen, question, and expand, sometimes scientifically grounded, sometimes essayistic, always inspiring. One special feature of the book is the integration of QR codes that link to additional digital content and moving images. The volume was funded by the Stiftung Natur und Umwelt Rheinland-Pfalz (Nature and Environment Foundation Rhineland-Palatinate) and is available at the Gutenberg Shop.
The starting point for both the exhibition and the companion volume is one of the most significant works in the early history of book printing: the Gart der Gesundheit (Garden of Health) by Johann Wonnecke von Kaub, a book published in Mainz in 1485. Building on this early health book, “FLORA – Where Roots Give Rise to Miracles” traces a line from that moment to the present day. Topics include the reliability of historical books on herbs, the role of women in natural sciences and the study of nature, current findings on the medical use of plants, and pressing ecological questions such as climate change and declining biodiversity.
In a collaboration between Mainz University of Applied Sciences, the Gutenberg Museum, and the Natural History Museum of Mainz, students at the university, working in dialogue with experts, developed creations that connect historical sources with current findings from the natural sciences. The result is a multi-voiced universe of installations, sound works, AI models, illustrations, and spaces for analogue experiences.
The celebration’s culinary offerings are provided by the Gutenberg Foundation, which is contributing wine and small delicacies. Visitors can also take home native plants supplied by the wild plant nursery Strickler from Alzey, while supplies last.
