ART SCIENCE dialogue: Plant Effect on Humans 7 March 2024 16:00 - 18:00

The VU ART SCIENCE gallery focuses on the interaction between art and science. VU Amsterdam initiated the gallery, as it encourages the exchange of multidisciplinary knowledge. This is needed to address some of the most pressing challenges of today. The urgency and complexity of these issues demand radical concepts which allow us to leave conventional paths behind and explore new directions. The gallery is open from Tuesday till Saturday 12-6 pm.

The art of Elspeth Diederix reveals the endless richness of the world, celebrating the beauty in nature and everyday objects. Born in Kenya and raised in Colombia, Diederix’s work is deeply influenced by her geologist father and a lifelong fascination with nature and landscapes. Her recent focus on her immediate surroundings includes The Miracle Garden, a unique flower garden in the Erasmuspark in Amsterdam neighbourhood Bos en Lommer, initiated and designed by Elspeth. It is an extensive art project showcasing a more organic and tactile dimension in her work, continuing her quest to reveal the sublime in the world around us.

Dr. Jolanda Maas, a behavioural scientist, serves as a senior researcher at the Clinical Psychology section of VU Amsterdam. Since 2005, she has been dedicated to studying the therapeutic impact of nature on diverse demographics, including children, students, patients, caregivers, informal caregivers, and the chronically ill.

Dr. Bep Schrammeijer is an Assistant Professor at the Athena Institute. Her PhD research focused on measuring functional quality of urban green space in such a way that subjective values can be included. Currently, she is conducting transdisciplinary research into human-nature interactions and how we can monitor and inform the transformation to a socially-ecologically sustainable future. She is also interested in integrating local knowledge and socio-ecological traits to better understand land use transitions.

Dr. Iris Burgers is an architectural historian and works as an assistant professor at VU Amsterdam. She is specialised in architectural history and theory of the 20th century. Her research centers on examining how the imaginations associated with our living environment impact both the conceptualization, design and use of this environment.