Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster is an artist whose work evokes atmosphere over object and her multi-facetted installation, Alienarium 5 at the Serpentine Gallery is created around a simple yet surprising and unusual premise: “What if aliens were in love with us?” .
So many sci-fi narratives explore the aggressive and frightening side of alien life; in this scenario she posits a refreshingly different approach.
You have to let yourself sink into this so give yourself plenty of time.
The diorama at the centre is dense with imagery and sound. There’s a guide to who & what is where – like a game of spot the character.
Planet Carpet(Uranus) is the carpet design throughout.
The cushions are covers of sci-fi books, part of the research bibliography and I found this room the most rewarding as it encouraged people to linger.
La Planète Close may only be seen (and smelt) through peepholes in the wall. All I could get was a glimpse of hair on a surface, nothing more.
There’s also a virtual reality experience but the session when I was there was fully booked.
From outside you can see Hologram 5 (LoieFullerforever), a constantly changing dance through the windows. If you have seen Loie Fuller’s famous dance you’ll get where the inspiration came from.
Scent, sound, touch and vision are all part of the immersive nature of her work. It may sound a bit odd but the effect is cumulative with images remembered long afterwards.