What if plants were more intelligent than we thought? What if they could observe, communicate—and perhaps even dream?

A flower, at once organic and digital, appears as a hybrid being—its technologically infused shimmer makes it oscillate between nature and the artificial world. The Book of Flowers by Agnieszka Polska, published in 2023, opens up a new perspective on humanity, nature, and technology through this very ambivalence—not as a hollow fantasy, but as a creative force and an expression of symbiotic coexistence. In a comparable way, the exhibition Science/ Fiction – A Non-History of Plants at FOTO ARSENAL WIEN promises a crossing of boundaries between science, art, and speculative imagination.

This group exhibition invites viewers to engage historically with the world of plants, while being as sensuous as it is speculative and enlightening. Developed in collaboration with the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris, it brings together works by more than 40 international artists, beginning with early pioneers of photography such as Anna Atkins, William Henry Fox Talbot, and Laure Albin Guillot. Their works enter into dialogue with contemporary positions, including those of Ágnes Dénes, Jochen Lempert, and Agnieszka Polska.

Across six sections, plants appear as active beings, as our allies, and as political actors. Cyanotypes, video works, and hybrid image worlds offer unexpected insights into our shared environment—even beyond the scope of human perception.

A publication accompanying the exhibition has been released by Spector Books.

Science/Fiction – A Non-History of Plants takes place as part of FOTO WIEN, Austria’s largest photography festival, held biennially. In 2025, the festival will once again be organized by FOTO ARSENAL WIEN.