After attending a few of these talks into various art in science events, I began to consider experimenting further for my exhibition. When doing some general research into plant experimentations, I came across a fascinating article that discussed research into making plants glow, using various bioluminescent substances. I found this to be aesthetically fascinating, but also the potential to use this technology to explore the function of plants, presenting an interesting field of exploration.
Researchers explained that using bioluminescence, could reveal the hormones inside the plants and the activities that occur over time. Through looking at factors such as environmental changes, researchers can analyse a plants’ response.
Through using bioluminescence organisms such as fireflies, honey fungi, scientists extract the DNA from these organisms and insert the genes into the plant.
I found this to be an interesting experiment to explore with my plant the Bacopa Monnieri. Unfortunately, I did not have the same resources as the scientists to extract and insert the DNA of bioluminescent organisms.
When researching further into at home, DIY methods, I found that people used food colouring to dye plants. By placing food colouring into water, maybe the plant would absorb the colouring. I did find that a lot of the DIY videos, used plants that flowered, so I had to realise that this may become an issue as my plant did not flower and only had green leaves.
Nevertheless, I gave it a go and submerged a plant cutting into the red food, dyed water. I left the plant in the water for a week, and sadly saw no changes. I did consider that since it was a cutting and hadn’t developed proper roots, this could have been why the plant did not change colour. Another potential, as to why the plant didn’t change colour, was the lack of flowering.
For this reason, I decided to use another plant that flowered and try to dye the plant using highlighter pens.
I took apart the highlighter pens using a pair of scissors, and then took the cartridge out and emptied into some water to put the flower in.
I added some of the plant food that came with the flower, to try and encourage further growth. Then I left the plant in the water for a week and still found no change in the flowers colour.
This made me question the effectiveness of dying my plant, and I even began to consider painting the plant with glow in the dark ink possibly. However, I was concerned over the toxicity of the ink, and how it could cause the plant to decay.
This made me turn back to the drawing board. Originally, I wanted the plant to glow in order to echo the use of intra-operative imaging used in brain tumour surgery. By using the substance Gleolan, it allows the tumour to glow a bright purple, through applying ultra-violet light. By indicating these parallels of the Bacopa Monnieri plant and the tumour, it indicates this connection of humans to nature.
After this failed experiment, I began to consider other ways in which I could create my brain sculpture using plants. I found the skeleton of leaves to be a fascinating comparison to the blood vessels within the brain, so I began to hunt for some leaves that had prominent leaf veins.
I began soaking the leaves in water overnight, and using a toothbrush to remove the initial layer of the plant, and to keep the veins intact.
Once removing the some of the leaf skin, I then made a solution of 1 part bleach to 2 parts water. I submerged the leaf in the bleach solution and left them in there for 2 hours or until they began to change colour.
I found the result of this experiment to come about well, I think the bleach was most effective in revealing the leaf veins. However, I did find that the toothbrush technique was not as effective as desired. After going on a short walk during the autumn months, I discovered leaves that already revealed the skeleton of the leaves. So, nature did the work for me!
I then thought to collect several leaves and create a brain out of the leaf skeletons. However, I began to reflect further about the intent of this experiment, and I found that I began to move away from the original intent of the exhibition. The plant I was using to skeletonise, wasn’t the Bacopa Monneiri plant, and just a collection of different leaves.
Therefore, I left this experiment to rest for a bit to until I decided whether it was worth pursuing. I also had to consider the time of the year, and the issue of sourcing more leaves that were skeletonised. As it was in the summer, decaying leaves would be harder to source, so this may present challenging if I were to create this brain sculpture.
Despite some of these experiments, not coming into fruition, it was important trial and error within the artistic process, and fascinating insight as to what I should and should not explore.