The exhibition presents work by twenty emerging or established artists who explore elements from nature in abstract, metaphoric or literal terms.

Palisadenparenchym, organized by the gallery’s associate director Daniel Schmidt, a native of Cologne, is German for palisade mesophyll, a biological term which describes the cellular layer directly under the surface, or cuticle, of a plant leaf. Each of these cells is cylindrical in shape and, when combined and seen in cross-section, resembles a palisade or fence-like structure. With the highest per-cell concentration of chloroplasts, these cells form the main site for photosynthesis. The Palisadenparenchym is a profoundly energetic environment, a power station, where sunlight is transformed into glucose, using carbon dioxide and water, with oxygen as a byproduct – the process on which nearly all life depends.

The artists in this exhibition demonstrate a keen interest in organic life, and are often influenced by childhood experiences, fairy tales, history, the myths and mysticism inspired by the natural world. They investigate the role of nature in our lives, whether decorative, therapeutic or recreational – a vulnerable system needing protection, or a destructive force. The exhibition raises the question of nature’s effect on our actions and thinking, and the effect of our actions and thinking on nature.

The exhibition will include installations and sculptures by Scoli Acosta, Peter Coffin, Christian Holstad, Chris Lipomi, Isa Melsheimer and Stefan Thater, a painting by Matthias Meyer, and works on paper by Lutz Braun, Sven Dankmahr, Jeff Davis, Delia R. Gonzalez, Andreas Hirsch, Nico Ihlein, John Kleckner, Marcus Knupp, Marcel Odenbach, Katia Santibañez, Stephanie Snider, Christian Weihrauch and Su-en Wong.