Wonders of Nature

Plants and animals have made our planet a unique place to live. The exhibition “Wonders of Nature“ follows the becoming and growing on our planet and celebrates its intelligence and variety in visually stunning images. Unique large-format photographs and overwhelming film clips show us the fascinating creative forces of life. They tell us about unusual sensuous abilities and ingenious strategies in the struggle for existence, about the variety of sexual rituals, the richness of social relations and the ability to coexist with other species.

Life makes our planet a unique place. Plants and animals have conquered the deepest depths and great heights, they grow to a majestic size and fill even the smallest niches in microscopic minuteness. Curator Prof. Peter Pachnicke says, “The visitors discover the ingenuity of the biological systems on a large scale and on a small scale and learn about how the forms of life are constantly changing, and how they trick each other and also form alliances with others”.

The renowned international photographers who are represented by the approximately 150 large-format illustrations from the world of flora and fauna in the exhibition, include Ingo Arndt, James Balog, Bence Máté, Jürgen Freund, Axel Hyde, Rob Kesseler, Manfred Kage, Heidi and Hans-Jürgen Koch, Frans Lanting, Tim Laman, David Maitland, Oliver Meckes and Nicole Ottawa, Lennert Nilsson, Ondrej Pakan, Anup Shah, Solvin Zankl and Christian Ziegler. Film sequences from well-known natural science series such as “Planet Earth” enhance the illustrative effect of the images.

The earth from above

The highlight of the new exhibition is the Earth itself. In the gigantic interior of the Gasometer our blue planet is brought alive luminously: the round tour through the “Wonders of Nature“ reaches its climax with the view of a 20 metre large globe hovering in the Gasometer’s 100 metre high air space. Moving, high-resolution satellite images (8-10 K) are projected, accurate in every detail, onto the globe. The visitor experiences the fascinating phenomena of the Earth’s atmosphere in the change from day to night and in the changing seasons. “The ride in the glazed panorama lift up to the roof of the Gasometer then provides a view of our home planet as otherwise experienced only by astronauts”, Jeanette Schmitz, Managing Director of Gasometer Oberhausen GmbH promises.

The project partner is the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) (German Aerospace Center). The curator of the exhibition “Wonders of Nature” is Prof. Peter Pachnicke. Together with Nils Sparwasser he has designed the sculpture of the Earth, the technical implementation of which has been carried out by the DLR, Intermediate Engineering and geo – Die Luftwerker.

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