TIMBER! @ 4Culture Gallery

Seattle artist James Hartunian blurs the line between nature and technology in this mind-bending exhibition that reimagines what a forest could be. TIMBER! presents a speculative world where robotic fireflies glow with LEDs instead of luciferin, and wheat grasslands thrive under artificial light—creating an uncanny valley of synthetic nature.

There’s an eerie, beguiling quality to Hartunian’s work. He routinely explores the relationship between nature and technology, using electronics and plant materials to create giant, colorful installations that feel more like poetic experiments. Take, for instance, his piece, “10-Foot Sunflower That Has Never Seen the Sun.” The sunflower looks like a normal sunflower, but LEDs are its only light source. Having never felt or been fueled by the sun’s rays, is its essence different?

💌 Be Our Pen Pal! Find out what’s happening in Seattle by subscribing to our newsletter.