This installation is part of a Science-Art exhibition taking place from April 1st to April 16th (inclusively) in the atrium of the research institute of the MUHC/Glen Hospital near the Vendome metro.

As humans, the integration of nature into our built environment is crucial for survival. Our work explores the associations between our brain health and our environment, commenting on the way we build our cities. That is, without leaving much space for nature, and ultimately leading to the decline of our health. Eutierria, the title of our work, is defined as “a positive feeling of oneness with the earth and its life forces where the boundaries between self and the rest of nature are obliterated and a deep sense of peace and connectedness pervades consciousness,” coined by Australian philosopher Glenn A. Albrecht.

Our piece will be a 6’ tall steel cylinder reminiscent of stacked industrial oil drums. The top half of the cylinder will have a flat plexiglass window through which one is able to view a live plant. The roots of the plant will be visible, with overlaid LED lights depicting synapse-like electrical conduction in the cerebral cortex. Behind the plant and in the soil, one will be able to see a variety of industrial parts including metal pieces and pipes. The unseen interior of the cylinder will include a hydroponics system to maintain the plant. The reflection on the plexiglass acts as a mirror through which the audience is able to see one’s self.