Biophilia

Annegien van Doorn | Maartje Slijpen | Merel Witteman

€ 35.00

If not in stock, the expected delivery time for this item will be 2 - 4 weeks.

Biophilia is about our distorted relationship with nature, while connection with nature is a primal necessity of mankind. We have always tried to integrate nature-inspired elements in our immediate environment, but in recent years it seems like it has been becoming more of a hype. Besides the many plants in modern homes, offices and shopping centres, you are bound to find prints of plants on walls of restaurants, metro stations and in the dentist’s waiting room. There are fences made with ivy print and waste containers with colourful flowers on them. In almost every household you’ll find objects that are imitations of fruit, flowers or animals like a flamingo shaped lamp, a kitchen timer in the form of an egg or a flyswatter that looks like a sunflower.
But why do we like to be surrounded with objects that are colourful or green and give us an apparent nature experience?

Biophilia, which in Greek literally means love for life, refers to the primal necessity of humans to feel connected to nature. Recent scientific studies show that nature or natural elements in our environment contribute to our mental and physical well-being. In fact, one tree, one plant or even a picture of a tree is enough to help us become more productive, more creative and it can even lower our blood pressure.

In short: we become happier and healthier from natural elements in our surroundings, even if they are artificial. But won’t we get further and further away from nature if we can meet our primal need with a photo print of a waterfall or a cactus-shaped lamp? And what does our current connection to nature say about us ‘modern’ humans?