Pollution Palace: Sam Wilde Reimagines Eden in a Synthetic Future

In Pollution Palace, British artist Sam Wilde reimagines the Garden of Eden for the modern world, one shaped by genetic engineering, urban sprawl and environmental fallout. Created in collaboration with the cities of Zhuhai and Jinan in China, this series of street sculptures draws from the story of the Tree of Knowledge, planting it firmly in a future where paradise has been tampered with. The result is a strange hybrid world where nature’s beauty hasn’t disappeared, but mutated into something unfamiliar.

In Sam’s version of Eden, the fruits and flowers haven’t wilted, they’ve exploded in size and colour, hyper-evolved by artificial fertilisers and biotech interference. The sculptures feel lush and alive, yet they’re also symptoms of something off, a world where the ecosystem has been supercharged beyond recognition. Set against the concrete rhythms of the city, these large-scale works offer a glimpse into a speculative future where nature and technology have merged in ways we’re only beginning to understand.

If you’d like to see more of Sam Wilde’s incredible work, be sure to check out his website.

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