A new art installation by Bristol artist Luke Jerram, named Pollenarium, has appeared on the banks of the Thames in east London this week. The structure, which is 6 metres high and made of brightly coloured inflated nylon, represents a grain of pollen.
Inside the Pollenarium, over 100 lenses function as camera obscuras, creating a mosaic view of the outside world. This design aims to provide visitors with an experience akin to perceiving the world through an insect's compound eye, described by Jerram as "a bit like going inside a bee’s head."
Jerram stated that he hopes the installation will entertain and also draw attention to the decline in pollinators. He noted a "massive drop in insect numbers," with flying insects in the UK reportedly declining by 60% in 20 years. Jerram also expressed concern about the continued use of some neonicotinoid pesticides by UK farmers, suggesting that even minuscule traces can disrupt a bee's ability to navigate and reproduce.
The Pollenarium was commissioned by Creative Barking and Dagenham. It will be open for free visits from 11am on Saturday at the Emerge East festival at Barking Riverside. Following its debut in east London, the installation is scheduled to appear at the University of Bristol before embarking on a UK tour, accompanied by activities and workshops.