Joel Zika: Valley of a Thousand Plants

Valley of a Thousand Plants is an immersive installation where audiences are surrounded by a cornucopia of local plants, re-imagined as hyper-real animated forms.

The visual aesthetic takes the bizarre shapes and beautiful patterns found in the region and combines them with decorative colours and textures like neon and gold, the result is a visual world that situates itself in between the built and natural environments.

The experience makes use of MAP mima’s amazing surround sound and projection facilities.  Audiences will feel they are entering a dense greenhouse full of oversized plants, overflowing with flowering bulbs which have taken over the space. Audience members of all ages can engage with the plants by walking around the space to trigger the plants to come to life and blossom before their eyes. 

The title of the work comes from a study by Terence Annable and Howard Fisher in 2014, which discusses the unique ecological makeup of the region, specifically in Dora Creek. This project brings a decorative response to the ecological wonder of the area that is accessible to all and encourages discovery. 

The Lake Macquarie region is renowned for its flora, with thousands of native species inhabiting the area. Zika became fascinated with some of the more uniquely shaped plants that are endemic to the area such as the Gymea Lily. These plants appear like alien forms, protruding into the air with wild red tendrils. Smaller plants from the area also captivate even if their stature is not as bold; flowers from the Pigface Lily, the Magenta Lilly Pilly and the Swamp Mahogany are enthralling to see close-up.

Please note: Due to the performances in the Cube during Friday Night Foodies, Joel Zika: Valley of a Thousand Plants is available to view until 5pm each Friday night. The exhibitions in the Foyer and Node are open until 8pm.

 

Joel Zika: Valley of a Thousand Plants is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Image: Installation view, Joel Zika Valley of a Thousand Plants 2023 Multi-Arts Pavilion mima. Courtesy MAP mima

When

Location

Multi-Arts Pavilion (MAP mima) Lake Macquarie, 96 Creek Reserve Road, Speers Point, 2284, View in Google Maps