Where Have All the Flowers Gone: Irreparable Failure of Posthuman Education Project

Abstract

In the spring of 2022, a group of researchers, architects, and educators collaborated to develop posthuman artistic, scientific, and educational practices aimed at exploring the intricate relationship between humans and plants. The project was hosted at the Microgallery of the Centre for the Promotion of Science. We invited the community, our friends, and colleagues to bring dry houseplants to the Center, share their stories, and entrust us with their care. With the assistance of botanists on our team, we committed to the regeneration of these plants. One of the goals of this exhibition was to provide a space for slowing down, reflection, and dedication, especially in the current period of galloping digital capitalism. Our attention is continuously reformulated into “hyper-attention,” which involves superficial engagement at the expense of focused awareness necessary for discernment and intimacy (Till, 2019). Moreover, consumers must not be attached to their objects; they must be unfaithful to them, consuming them by separating from them, destroying them, and discarding them to redirect the energy of their instincts towards newer objects (Stiegler, 2011). Therefore, we proposed the question: Can we consciously create relationships with plants to learn to dedicate ourselves to slow processes, respect perishability, and the power of regeneration?