Professor Andrew Parker’s art and science exhibition on display at Kew Gardens

A unique art and science exhibition created by Visiting Senior Research Fellow Professor Andrew Parker is on display at Kew Gardens in London.

The exhibition is called Naturally Brilliant Colour and it features a cutting-edge piece of technology called Pure Structural Colour, a new type of colour billed as the ‘boldest, brightest colour on Earth.’

Parker worked with scientific researchers at his Lifescaped lab to develop these stunning, jewel-like shades of colour, inspired by the dazzling colours we see in nature such as on the wings of a butterfly or hummingbird.

Plants and animals have microscopic structures in their surface layers which reflect sunlight in unique ways to create these vivid, unforgettable shades. Parker and Lifescaped have recreated these colours for the first time. Pure Structural Colour is an example of what’s known as bio inspiration – replicating structures found in nature for the benefit of human design.

‘Scientists have sought to reproduce the brightest, metallic-like colours of nature for decades,’ said Parker. ‘In Pure Structural Colour, this has been achieved on a large scale for the first time. It is something special to witness these colours as they emerge from our machines – the brightest colours ever seen. They will be revealed to the public for the very first time at this exhibition, in the form of artworks with a complementary natural theme.’

The exhibition explores what Pure Structural Colour is and delves into the history of colour perception and vision, while also displaying artworks created using Pure Structural Colour including the world’s first botanical artwork by Coral G Guest, who mixed flakes of Pure Structural Colour into paint.

Other items on display include a large-scale kaleidoscope containing glass created with Pure Structural Colour and accessories such as Nike Air Jordan 3 RTNA, to show how Pure Structural Colour could be used in fashion.

The colour is produced using only transparent materials which could have a huge impact on sustainability if it could replace pigments, many of which are sourced unethically or unsustainably.

Naturally Brilliant Colour runs at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew Gardens until 26 September 2021.

Further information on the Naturally Brilliant Colour exhibition.