Speaking Signs, Talking Plants – in Oslo Botanical Garden

Thirteen large Speaking Signs have been installed around the Botanical Garden in Oslo as part of a research project by Talk Nature Artistic Research. This project aims to explore how plants can communicate with humans. The signs feature simple visual elements, such as speech bubbles and shapes inspired by the "talking" plants. These shapes are cut out as holes, allowing viewers to see the talking plants through the openings. While the Speaking Signs are spaced apart, they are unified through their design and a consistent yellow colour. The text is written in the first person to give the impression that the plants themselves are speaking. General signs at the entrances invite visitors to explore more signs and learn about different plant species. All text is in Norwegian, catering to local visitors.

Rooted in posthumanism and more-than-human design (Braidotti, 2019; Wakkary, 2021), the project embraces the interconnectedness of all organisms and challenges human-centered perspectives. More-than-human design values non-human agency, expanding human perspectives through sensory awareness, and promotes relational ways of knowing. Rather than seeking perfect solutions, it invites continuous inquiry, acknowledging that answers may already exist in nature.

By transforming plant communication into visual and textual cues, the Speaking Signs project exemplifies these principles. It fosters sensory engagement and expands human perspectives, reinforcing the idea that non-human entities have voices worth hearing. Through this design, the project bridges human, and more-than-human worlds, encouraging visitors to listen, interpret, and advocate for nature.

In addition to relating the Speaking Signs project to posthumanism, we refer to this mode of communicating as Guerrilla Design Activism. This concept combines elements of Design Activism with Guerrilla Marketing. Design Activism recognizes the potential of design as a tool for social and environmental progress, while Guerrilla Marketing is an advertising approach employing the principles of "guerrilla" warfare, utilizing surprise to engage a target audience. Guerrilla Design Activism uses visual and spatial strategies to disrupt conventional narratives and provoke thought in public spaces.

The Speaking Signs project is a collaboration between Talk Nature Artistic Research, consisting of Annette Kriszat, Lene Utigard and Margaret Rynning, and the Botanical Garden in Oslo.

Sources:
Braidotti, R. (2019). Posthuman Knowledge. Camebridge & Medford: Polity Press.

Wakkary, R. (2021). Things We Could Design: For More Than Human-Centered Worlds. MIT Press.