Introducing Our Time on Earth

It all starts with a sense of wonder. Opening in The Curve, Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest is a unique immersive video installation that reminds you of the deep link between humans and nature. Peer through the layers of a digitally-created projection of an enormous Ceiba Pentandra tree from the Colombian rainforest to discover the awesome connection of its natural living systems and their relationship to your existence. 

Created by experiential art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast with Bio-Leadership Project founder Andres Roberts, it shows the networks of nutrients in the ground being absorbed by the roots and the incredible process of photosynthesis that produces the oxygen we all breathe, demonstrating the tree's role as a living bridge between the soil and the sky. This renewed appreciation that we're one species among millions is fundamental to solving the climate emergency.
 

Next, you’ll enter the Imagine section of the exhibition. Experience Superflux's installation Refuge for Resistance, at which you can imagine sitting down for a delicious meal with a host of other creatures. Featuring crockery and cutlery designed to create a welcoming environment for fourteen different species, it encourages you to rethink your place in the natural world – as one where all living beings are considered equal. 

Soil also comes under the microscope in an immersive experience created by writer and activist George Monbiot and digital agency Holition. The World Beneath our Feet, tells the incredible story of the hidden beauty and complexity of the living systems in the ground we walk on. This hugely important ecosystem often goes ignored, but its health is fundamental to our existence – not least because we rely on it for 99% of our food. Worse still, modern farming techniques and deforestation are damaging it. 

Although they comprise less than 5% of the world's population, Indigenous peoples worldwide have lived in harmony with their environment for thousands of years, protecting more than 80% of the Earth's biodiversity. Unfortunately, in the high-consumption, often destructive, industrialised societies in the Global North, we've forgotten the importance of listening to and learning from nature. This Indigenous approach – which has at its heart traditions of Indigenous peoples – combines science and an understanding of humans' role as stewards of the planet rather than at the top of a perceived hierarchy. 

In the exhibition, watch a newly commissioned film made by Indigenous-led collective Selvagem; delve deeper and see what it would be like commuting to work in a city where the planners have applied Indigenous knowledge to urban design. Or explore a fabric forest showing a letter to the world created by Indigenous leaders from Brazil (which you can also read online here).
 

Once inspired by these imaginative works and future-looking approaches, you may ask: what can I do to make a difference? The third section in the exhibition in The Curve – called Engage – will address this and empower you to act.

Stories of Change, created by the Earth Issue, with spatial design by Wallmakers, is a series of video interviews showcasing global grassroots initiatives that are making a positive impact. They tell the stories of those already acting to hold polluting or irresponsible corporations to account, to prove that by working collectively, you can have an impact.

Building on this sense of collectivism, Silent Studios (inspired by their work with musician Damon Albarn) have created a beautiful sound and light installation called Sonic Waterfall that inspires pause and reflection. Aiming to use sonic frequencies to relieve anxiety and promote restoration, this healing environment brings us together through sound and light and brings you to the end of the exhibition.
 

Our Time on Earth spills out into other areas of our building with six free installations for you to discover. Don't miss Noise Aquarium in The Pit, by Victoria Vesna. This unique artwork invites you to explore noise pollution's effects on the plankton in our oceans. These microscopic creatures are responsible for creating the majority of oxygen in our atmosphere, yet human activity can negatively impact their wellbeing. Making the invisible visible, this 3D audio-visual experience uses scans of these micro creatures to immerse you in an underwater world where you can create disruptive noise and see its effect on the plankton.

Through the interactive exhibits in Our Time on Earth, you'll discover that, by adopting a new mindset of collaboration and embracing technology, there is a positive future for our planet. Get ready to reconnect with our wonderful planet and discover different ways of being that will change how you see your place in the world – one with a positive future.