Image 1: Lunar planting data  Image 2 & 3: Supernature. 2013. Production Stills. Multi-screen HD projection with sound. Image 4, 5 & 6: experiments documentation  Slide 7: Watch Film

Supernature is a visual art project conceived by the artist Linda Shevlin as part of the Spark Programme organised by Leitrim County Council and Leitrim County Enterprise Board with the support of the Arts Council.

Based at the Organic Centre Co. Leitrim, Ireland until end of January 2013, Linda worked with the staff and students of the centre to research and recreate a series of experiments exploring the many and often astounding ways in which nature manifests itself and adapts to its environment.

A geodesic dome was constructed to accommodate these experiments and the artist’s work made during the residency. The dome also acted as a public space for related workshops and as the main location for filming the final artwork produced by the artist.

Central to informing the ideas in the film is a cult novel written in 1973 by Lyall Watson entitled Supernature. Shevlin became interested in a number of botany related experiments that were carried out over the latter half of the last century.Watson describes these experiments as being “an exploration of the space between those things that we understand as normal occurrences and those that are completely paranormal and defy explanation.”

Given the title and the premise of this seminal book, along with the fact that I was residing in a science fiction-esque laboratory, I used this residency to do some practical research into the potential applications of bioluminescent algae as a sustainable, renewable source of light. Part of my reasoning for doing this was to examine society’s unquestioning faith in science. The science industry’s presentations of research and hypotheses are often accompanied by their infallible belief in their speculative theories. I was interested in how my theories, suppositions and findings would be received if I assumed this position of unquestionable knowledge. The means for me to do that was through the media of film.

These events and activities were documented and compiled to create the main fabric of the short film. The film borrows from the visual language of the sci-fi genre, portraying a blurring of the lines between reality and fiction and science and nature.