The first Zendarium
It started with a frog. His name was Steve and he was my friend. I wanted Steve to have the best life I could give so I built him a terrarium. I could tell that he was happier in his new home and that made me happy so I built him a bigger, better one. I really enjoyed the process and tried to make it the most diverse environment I could. Steve’s next home had a waterfall, a cave that led to an underwater viewing platform where he could watch the fish and a miniature jungle. All of the features had their own resting places and Steve frequented each of them, taking in the small ecosystem I had created for him.
Inspired by the sounds of Bernie Krause and the visuals of David Attenborough documentaries, both of which give a deep sense of urgency to see and hear the delicate natural world while I could, I began to explore the world’s rainforests. I collected photos and sounds but realized I needed more to properly represent the grandeur of these biomes. I listened deeply, paying close attention to the patterns and documenting the times and places of my recordings. I took in the smells and did my best to describe them in my notes. My photos became more focused on capturing lighting and flora rather than being presentable. I took notes on temperature and humidity. I did everything I could to put myself back in the headspace I was in when I was designing Steve’s new home. I was on a mission to give this experiential gift of the Amazon to others.
For my first exhibit, my crew and I framed a slope and lined my 12’x12’ space with heavy duty pond liner. We built a water fall, installed a rain system in the ceiling and covered the entire space with live tropical plants and vines. There was controlled lighting for day and night transitions, rain and scent blowers that triggered with cues that matched the sounds and fans that would operate when wind was heard. Haptic speakers attached below the viewing platform would trigger on thunder claps seconds after a flash of light signaled a lightning strike. All of this happened within the influence of an octophonic array of speakers perfectly matching the auditory footprint of its capture. I had found a way to transport my audience to a place many were unlikely to ever experience.
In my imagination, when I see a terrarium, my inner child doesn’t just see that small world from the outside. I wonder what it would be like to be the frog inside of that space. To be surrounded by immense jungle, smelling the smells, hearing the sounds, seeing the light fight its way through the canopy to the forest floor. To give others this experience, I’ve chosen to make peaceful, immersive terrariums for people. I call them Zendariums. Be the frog!
