FLORA 2024

Color & Light

Nature holds a wealth of color.

Vivid sunsets light up the sky before giving way to the cool, blue light of the moon.  In the garden, deep purple morning glories can grow alongside bright, white lilies.  

Los Angeles based artist Maggie West celebrates nature’s chromatic range while blending each specimen with colored light. Through her lens, she creates images that capture the natural features of the plants while bathing them in a surreal light; thereby blurring the line between documentation and fantasy.

Fantasy Ecosystems

Through her use of time-lapse photography, West creates sensational landscapes that defy time or place. Her eclectic blend of vegetation could never naturally occur in the same climate or season, but harmoniously thrive in this surreal immersive environment.

Starting in 2020, the Los Angeles based artist began photographing flowers from her garden under a spectrum of colored strobe lights, capturing each plant's growth process while altering its coloration. West then combined hundreds of these time lapse sequences to create moving floral landscapes.

The artist’s groundbreaking animation process extends beyond the boundaries of traditional time-lapse photography and allows her to create complex, otherworldly ecosystems inside an immersive video experience.

Real World Environments

Utilizing various mediums, West continually brings her vivid artwork to life beyond the computer, creating innovative physical exhibits that transport the viewer to another world.

In 2023 West created Eden, one of the world’s largest 3D color photography installations for the Coachella Music Festival.  To create the installation, West photographed a variety of plants, each in two color schemes: warm and cool. All color for the photos was created with lighting, not post production. 

West’s photographs of flowers and plants were then reproduced onto 20 steel structures, each covered with wood and vinyl.  Each piece of the installation ranges from 6 to 56 feet tall.  

The installation exhibited West’s dynamic coloring abilities by allowing viewers to experience completely different compositions depending on what side of the installation they were on. One side of the installation features the plants photographed in cool tones (shades of blue, violet and teal) while the other side presented a warmer palette (shades of magenta, peach and gold).

After dark, Eden transforms from a static photo exhibit to an ethereal light show. Throughout the night, the installation radiates vivid animations highlighting the natural features of each plant.

To create Eden’s nighttime look, West worked with a team of animators to create visual effects based on illumination in nature.  Looks were inspired by natural phenomena like lighting, bioluminescent plankton, lava, fireflies and more.

While many projection shows take place on blank white canvases, Eden uses this technology to enhance already vibrant imagery - creating an exhibit that is equally engaging day or night.

In addition to her sculptural work, West has also created a number of other immersive environments using digital media and vinyl application.  Her curiosity for the natural world is mirrored in her interest in new artistic mediums.

Through free, fun, educational programming we can inspire an appreciation for nature & conservation. 

FLORA is a multi-sensory experience designed to blend surreal, fantasy aesthetics with educational information.  Throughout the exhibit, visitors will learn about plant life and environmental issues through a unique blend of video art, recycled sculptures and landscaping. 

The art in each room utilizes vastly different mediums - fiber optic flowers, projection mapping, horticulture and more.  By using such diverse mediums, West creates an immersive exhibit that continually stimulates visitors, while promoting environmental awareness and mental health.

Through the beauty of light and color, each room will educate new visitors and hopefully spark an ongoing passion for the natural world that extends well beyond the exhibit.

Room 1

Using leftover materials from film and television sets, Room 1 illuminates the ecological impact of the entertainment industry while repurposing waste as art materials.

A single film set can produce up to 347 tons of waste per production - that’s more than three times what the average American generates in their lifetime. Every day on set, hundreds of plastic water bottles, utensils, coffee cups, and other items are used once, only to be immediately discarded.

Los Angeles is the film production capital of the world.  As members of the entertainment industry, we have the ability to directly affect change in this area.  While global environmental issues can frequently feel overwhelming to tackle, addressing the issues and actions of your own community allows you to create a more tangible and manageable sense of active change.

The entertainment industry, while advancing leaps and bounds in many areas of production, still seems to hold onto an antiquated system for disposing of waste on set. Instead of throwing away set materials, productions could reuse and donate resources to younger generations of artists and filmmakers, thereby reducing waste while supporting future creatives.

FLORA will work with organizations like Ecoset and participating studios to use scrap materials from other productions to create the art installations for Room 1.  Through creative fabrication and light techniques, leftover materials will be transformed into abstract sculptures that light up and change colors as visitors pass through.

This innovative art installation is meant to encourage discussion around sustainable practices in the arts and production design.  Through lighting and sound design, Room 1 introduces our visitors to the world of FLORA and piques their interest for the journey ahead.

Room 2

In the second room of FLORA, re-used set materials will be transformed into an illuminated floral landscape.

While the recycled material may be somewhat recognizable in Room 1, Room 2 uses innovative techniques to transform these materials into lifelike trees and plants. Prior to the installation, a team of artists will create artificial plants out of materials like plastic bottles, garbage bags, old wires and discarded fabric.

Room 3

Through observing nature’s evolution, we can expand our connection with the environment.

In Room 3, guests leave a world of LEDs and recycled plastics for a close up look into how living plants evolve.  Through West’s complex time-lapse floral landscapes, visitors can observe fantastic details of each specimen’s growth process through an immersive video experience. 

The artist’s groundbreaking animation process extends beyond the boundaries of traditional time-lapse photography to create environments that seamlessly blend entertainment with education.

Immersive floral video art is nothing new. Across the world, artists have used 3D modeling and generative animation techniques to create colorful floral environments that enchant their viewers. However, while these exhibitions may be captivating, West’s work stands alone in her ability to capture the beauty and detail of actual plant life and ecosystems.

The scale at which these images are shown helps visitors notice precious, otherwise unseen details of each plant. A poppy’s sudden bloom process is drastically different from the leisurely unfurling of a rose.  A prayer plant’s slow drift sharply contrasts a dandelion’s swift eruption.  By placing these unique species side by side, FLORA visitors can learn to appreciate each plant’s unique qualities.

Garden

Spending time outside can vastly improve one’s mental health.  In the final section of FLORA, visitors will have the opportunity to connect and learn about the local ecosystem.

Once leaving Room 3, guests will emerge into the final outdoor portion of the exhibit, finding themselves in a stunning garden. This outdoor section of FLORA blends high level architectural design with a functional produce garden, creating an environment that is as beautiful as it is educational.  The garden will serve as a flexible event venue for private events, workshops and community programming.

The walls of the garden will feature large scale vinyl applications of West’s floral designs.  During the day, the murals will showcase elements of the plants in the artist’s unique color palettes. Similar to West’s Coachella installation, these murals can be projection mapped for nighttime events and take on a new dynamic look after the sun sets.

By combining a blend of flowers and vegetables, FLORA’s garden creates a place where visitors can observe a wide variety of flowering plants and edible produce.  People rarely get a chance to see their vegetables before they end up on the grocery store shelf, and many may not even know that their daily fuel starts as a blossoming bud.  Including these plants alongside traditional flowers gives visitors a chance to observe plant details they might not have previously known about, such as the flowers that form before a cucumber grows, or the fuchsia leaves of a beet plant.

In addition to being a beautiful place to pass time, the mental health benefits associated with spending time outdoors are vast, including lower risks of depression, and faster psychological stress recovery. Studies have shown that being in nature can restore and strengthen our mental capacities, increasing focus and attention. By ending the exhibit in a garden, FLORA will leave the viewer with a sense of wonder about the local environment and a newfound desire to spend more time outdoors.

Events & Activations

Our unique blend of programming will host exclusive events and brand activations in order to provide free entry during public visiting hours.

The week prior to opening to the public, FLORA will host a number of private events.  These events will raise interest in the exhibit while providing a beautiful backdrop for private dinners, fundraisers, concerts and other high end experiences.  

By hosting a number of influencer events during the first week, we will raise the public’s awareness of the exhibit and help boost admission once the event is open to the public.  Guests will be encouraged to share photos and videos of the installation, highlighting the recycled materials used and creating conversations about the environmental issues at the core of the exhibit.

By bringing in additional partners for branded events on week 1, FLORA will bring in additional revenue to help cover the cost of the build, and ensure that the exhibit is free to the community after it opens to the general public.  By maximizing the space prior to grand opening, we can make it more accessible to everyone later.

Community Programming

Educational programming that is fun…and free.

The price point for many experiential galleries can often make them inaccessible to low income communities. Ticket prices can range anywhere from $25-50 per person, an admission charge that frequently excludes members of the communities where the installations are located.

Through programming and sponsorships, we will make FLORA free and accessible to anyone who wants to visit.  After the exhibit opens to the public, people will be able to reserve free tickets on the FLORA website or through the app.

Throughout the duration of the exhibit, we will host a number of special programs geared towards the community in the East Los Angeles area. Given the opportunity, these events should be hosted in a variety of languages to create a space that is not only accessible, but inclusive. By providing fun, educational workshops and events geared towards the community that FLORA is based in, community members who might not otherwise visit an art installation will feel welcome to pay a visit.

People can only attend the exhibit if they know about it.  Through the CAA Foundation’s vast network of community programs, we will reach out to local schools and organizations to make sure local residents are aware that they can visit the exhibit for free.

By creating a free, fun, and educational environment where people can learn about nature and sustainability, we can make a lasting impact in our community and beyond.

Multi-Purpose App

Through the FLORA app, we can create an experience that extends beyond the walls of the exhibit.

Upon entering the exhibit, guests will be encouraged to download the FLORA app. The app will have a number of educational features that will not only heighten the guest’s experience while at the exhibit , but will also allow them to have a version of the exhibit that they can dive deeper into at home, creating a lasting impression of the installation experience.

The app will have a clean, minimalist aesthetic and an easy to use interface.  Individual features can use West’s photos and videos to educate about plant features and give gardening information.

We can create tutorials for how to create your own flowers out of recycled materials.  After seeing the illuminated gardens in Room 2, people can then follow along at home and try to make their own dahlia out of a used plastic water bottle.

The app will also include resources on how to start your own garden - no matter your living space.  Tutorials will include how to create planters out of recycled materials, how to garden in any kind of space, and the best species to plant for pollinators.

While the app will have a number of features which make visiting the installation both easier and more interactive, such as ticket booking and an event calendar, it can also have local resources that extend beyond the installation.

Augmented Reality

Through augmented reality, we can help people appreciate the outdoors in a new way.

Augmented reality can add educational features to each room of the exhibit in a way that is engaging and contemporary.  For example, people can use the app to scan the trash sculptures in Room 1 to learn facts about waste in Los Angeles and environmental conservational efforts that they can participate in.

In the garden, visitors can scan select planters to learn additional information about the plant inside.

The app will extend beyond the confines of the installation, with activation points in local LA parks.  These features will encourage guests to explore local parks in the LA community, and through games and AR, become more in touch with the nature surrounding them.

Thanks For Reading!

Contact Information

Maggie@maggiewest.co

Alan.Smith@caa.com