CHLOROPLAST

Chloroplast is an artistic research project initiated in 2020 by artist sillyconductor (Cătălin Matei) and curator Adrian Bojenoiu. The project is rooted in a comparative study of plant life in urban environments, protected areas, and natural parks across Romania, utilizing state-of-the-art technology to explore and document plant ecosystems.

Developed along three dimensions—artistic, scientific, and educational—Chloroplast invites reflection on the natural environment and plant life through the lens of art and digital technology.

Rethinking Human-Plant Relationships

In Europe, approximately 95% of urban inhabitants rely on resources derived from plant biomass (oxygen, food, textiles, medicine, fuel, etc.), yet most people lack basic knowledge about the ecosystems that sustain these resources. For many, plants are seen as peripheral, ornamental elements on the edges of cognition. Urban landscapes often treat nature as mere decoration, while beyond the city, plants are commodified as tools for mass production. The plant world mirrors the ignorance and superficiality often inherent in our culture.

The project’s title, Chloroplast, highlights the fundamental role of photosynthesis in sustaining life. This biological process connects all living organisms to the solar energy that fuels our planet’s ecosystem, underscoring the cosmic significance of plant life. As Kliment Timiryazev aptly described in The Life of Plants (1912), “The chloroplast is what gives plants their green color and serves as the vital link between the Sun and all living things on Earth.”

Unveiling the Invisible Life of Plants

Chloroplast reveals the unseen dimensions of plant existence, showcasing their interactions and communication with humans. Through cutting-edge technology, the artist scans plants to collect data that is then transformed into visual and auditory experiences. This process uses bioelectric signals generated during photosynthesis, which are captured, processed in real-time, and converted into sound and image.

A specialized system collects galvanic impulses produced by plants during photosynthesis and translates these signals into musical notes. Each plant-generated electrical impulse is assigned one of 128 possible notes, creating unique compositions that change in response to environmental factors such as light, temperature, humidity, human presence, or touch.

Fieldwork and Data Collection

Bioelectric scans were conducted on vegetation in natural environments, including the Cheile Latoriței National Park (Petrimanu Lake), Tâmpa Nature Reserve, Bucegi Natural Park, Semenic National Park, and the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve.

About Sillyconductor

Sillyconductor (b. 1980) is a Bucharest-based composer and sound artist whose practice spans diverse sonic realms. His work includes innovations in organ recording techniques, the construction of improvisational instruments and interactive installations, workshops for children, and compositions for theater and video games. He blends mathematical rigor with absurd humor, collaborating in recent years with research institutes and scientists on bioart and sonification projects.

Partners and Support

The project is supported by partnerships with Rezidența9, the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Arts (ICMA), the Center for Sustainable Policies – Ecopolis, and Revista ARTA.

Cultural project co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN) and the Municipality of Brașov.