Jerusalem Botanical Gardens New Age Art (Photo Essay)

By BJLIfe/Sharon Altshul
Posted on 10/19/22

Jerusalem, Israel - Oct. 19, 2022 - A most ambitious exhibition of contemporary artworks created with augmented reality (AR) technology was initiated by the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens and the Outset Contemporary Art Fund in 2021.  As galleries around the world closed because of COVID,  art lovers starved for culture were drawn to the nature site exhibitions which were launched at 12 Botanical Gardens across six countries. 

The first exhibition of its kind to be developed as a joint venture among botanical gardens around the world, Seeing the Invisible, was initiated by Hannah Rendell, Executive Director at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, and Candida Gertler, co-founder of Outset Contemporary Art Fund with support of The Jerusalem Foundation's Innovation Fund. The initial monthly meetings were held on Zoom. It was only eight months from the idea conception to opening simultaneously internationally.

Season Two of Seeing the Invisible will now extend to a further 10 locations after the October 2022 opening in Jerusalem, Israel. Seeing the Invisible features works by thirteen international artists including several artists’ first work in AR. Visitors will engage with Seeing the Invisible using an app designed for the exhibition which is downloadable to smartphones and tablets.

A means of forging new generational connections, families can visit nature locations using AR and new-age technology to merge age and interests. The exhibition fosters collaboration between institutions, artists, and audiences, highlighting the power of art to connect people around the world.

Seeing the Invisible places the same exhibition of commissioned artworks in analogous sites in the outdoor settings located in different international biomes, creating parallels and contrasts between them. The AR nature of the exhibition allows for the creation of expansive, immersive works that engage with existing features of the natural landscape beyond the limitations of what is possible with physical artworks.

Many of the works created for the exhibition will address related themes around nature, environment, and sustainability, and explore the interplay of the physical world with the digital one.  The new season of Seeing the Invisible features AR works by the following artists:

Ai Weiwei (b. 1957, Beijing, China; lives and works in multiple locations, including Beijing, China; Berlin, Germany; Cambridge, UK; and Lisbon, Portugal)

Refik Anadol (b. 1985, Istanbul, Turkey; lives and works in Los Angeles, USA)

El Anatsui (b. 1944, Anyako, Ghana; lives and works in Nigeria)

Ori Gersht (b. 1967, Tel Aviv, Israel; lives and works in London, UK)

Isaac Julien CBE RA (b. 1960, London, UK; lives and works in London, UK)

Mohammed Kazem (b. 1969, Dubai, UAE; lives and works in Dubai, UAE)

Sigalit Landau (b. 1969, Jerusalem, Israel; lives and works in Tel Aviv, Israel)

Daito Manabe (b. 1976, Tokyo, Japan; lives and works in Tokyo, Japan)S

Sarah Meyohas (b. 1991, New York City, USA; lives and works in New York City, USA)

Mel O’Callaghan (b. 1975, Sydney, Australia; lives and works in Paris, France)

Pamela Rosenkranz (b. 1979, Switzerland; lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland)

Timur Si-Qin (b. 1984; lives and works in New York City, USA)

Jakob Kudsk Steensen (b. 1987, Denmark; lives and works in Berlin, Germany)

“We are thrilled that a project born here in Jerusalem is paving the way for a new kind of collaborative process amongst so many gardens across the world,” stated Tom Amit, CEO of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens.

Seeing the Invisible is not the only art initiative of the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens. Over the last three years, there have been steps to connect art with issues and topics surrounding nature, sustainability, community, technology, and innovation. Most recently YAAR was established, a new art department and gallery space, led by Gaby Hamburg- Fhima, focusing on developing opportunities to explore the relationship between art, nature, and man.

“Today we have exceptional potential for global collaboration. AR allows us to share costs and experiences in a way that has never been possible before” mentioned Jerusalem Botanical Gardens Executive Director and Seeing the Invisible initiator, Hannah Rendell. “We are deeply gratified for the opportunity to forge new connections with partner gardens and art institutions across the globe, for a second year.”


Season Two will be presented at:

Among the thirteen AR works created for Seeing the Invisible, include El Anatsui’s first work in AR, also a new work by Sigalit Landau marking the artist’s first foray into AR, and a meticulous translation of Ai Weiwei’s Gilded Cage into AR, addressing issues related to power structures, habitats, borders, confinement, and restriction, but also caregiving, preservation, and nurturing.

Special thanks to Hannah Rendell and Gaby Hamburg- Fhima for taking the time to explain and demonstrate the AR art included in a photo essay.