Exhibitions

Curated by Newton Harrison, this exhibition gathers 11 renowned eco-artists from 8 countries, including Tim Collins and Reiko Goto, to address urgent environmental challenges. Showcasing mixed media, sound, video, and research-based works, the exhibition highlights the global scope of ecological art. Collins and Goto contribute “Lanolin” and “DECOY,” reflecting on Scotland’s deforested landscapes and the human-tree bond. The late Helen and Newton Harrison’s pioneering ecological interventions frame the exhibition, inspiring new generations of eco-artists. Together, these artists amplify the critical role of ecosystems, inviting viewers to engage deeply with our shared responsibility for the planet’s future.

Tim Collins and Reiko Goto, in collaboration with Chris Malcolm, present HAKOTO | Speaking Leaf, a sound art performance transforming the hidden physiological processes of trees into real-time soundscapes. Using custom wireless instruments and sensors, the artists translate photosynthesis, transpiration, and light intensity into meditative compositions based on the Japanese Gagaku yo scale. Performed across parks in Düsseldorf and Köln, the project invites audiences to experience trees as living, sentient beings. This cross-disciplinary work bridges art, ecology, and technology, fostering an intimate connection with nature while offering curators a unique, immersive experience that inspires critical ecological dialogue.

Reiko Goto Collins captivated audiences with her HAKOTO performance in the intimate garden of Glasgow Women’s Library during Glasgow International 2024. Wearing a custom-designed wired leather sleeve and wooden speaker backpack, she transformed photosynthesis from a young oak leaf into unexpected, melodic sounds. The performance created a sensory connection between human perception and plant processes, inviting delight as the garden came alive with music and movement.

This exhibition showcases the culmination of the LEER Residency, where art, ecology, and technology converge to explore Ireland’s fragile peat bog ecosystems. Central to the work is HAKOTO, a sensory instrument redesigned to translate sphagnum moss’s photosynthesis and transpiration into soundscapes. Contributions include a large-scale video projection revealing the hidden “sounds” of the bog, Bog Lyric 2024—a poetic and visual collaboration with an AI named “Bog Whisperer”—and immersive physical elements. These works bridge human perception and peatland ecology, inviting viewers to engage deeply with these critical landscapes and fostering an appreciation for their ecological and cultural significance.

This exhibition explores ancient Caledonian forests through art, empathy, and cultural decoys—crafted representations designed to attract curiosity and reflection. Collins & Goto Studio investigates the relationship between people, forests, and culture by creating works like the film DECOY, which captures the passage of time in a wild forest. The project fosters deeper connections to Scotland’s semi-natural woodlands, blending aesthetics, ecology, and spirituality. Through visual and conceptual entanglements, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the meaning, value, and experience of these unique, ancient ecosystems, linking urban audiences with wild landscapes often beyond reach.