This month, we spoke with Irene Aldazabal, an Argentinian artist and PhD researcher collaborating with Professor Gerben van Ooijen’s lab at the Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences. Written by Selen DingeHer interdisciplinary project bridges sculpture and plant biology, exploring how circadian rhythms and biological processes can inform artistic practice. Working with living materials such as Mimosa pudica, she examines the visual and spatial expressions of biological time, creating works that reflect the daily movements and rhythms of plants. Irene has recently presented her work at the Edge of Matter exhibition (organised by Hidden Door and Visual Arts Scotland) and the Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh PhD Showcase, and in October, she gave a talk at the Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences monthly forum.We asked Irene about her journey from fine arts to plant science and how her research bridges these two disciplines. Could you start by telling us a bit about your background in art and how your practice eventually led you to an interest in circadian rhythms?My background is in art. I completed my undergraduate degree in Fine Arts in Argentina, where I specialised in sculpture and printmaking. Since then, my work has always engaged with landscapes; drawing them, and thinking about place, space, and environment. Over time, that interest in landscapes gradually led me toward plants.At the time, I was living with a friend who worked in agronomy, and that influence shaped my own approach. My undergraduate dissertation was even presented in the agronomy and forestry sciences school, not exactly biology but closely related to agriculture and plant science. So, I think I was interested in interdisciplinarity from the very beginning.For my master’s, I continued within the field of art, but the programme was situated more broadly in the humanities. It was very practice-based - a lot of making - but also deeply informed by philosophy and the social sciences, leaning toward environmental humanities.For some time now, I’ve been working with materials such as plants, soil, and other organic or biological substances in sculpture. These materials have their own sense of time. They aren’t entirely ephemeral, they last but they also change and I became fascinated by that process of transformation. That curiosity about materials that change over time made me start thinking more about time itself: biological time, lifetimes, and rhythms. Eventually, I discovered the field of chronobiology and circadian rhythms, which I found absolutely fascinating and that’s how I ended up here. How are you incorporating plants or circadian rhythms into your artwork?Right now, I’m working with Mimosa pudica. In one sense, it’s quite literal, I’m working with a plant that visibly expresses daily rhythms through its movement. But I’m also thinking about circadian rhythms in a more spatial and conceptual way. For instance, how might I propose rhythms for people as they move through an exhibition? How can the arrangement of sculptures evoke different moments of the day, including periods of rest or sleep?I’ve been developing the idea of “sleepy sculptures” or “dreaming sculptures” artworks that seem to rest, close down, or suggest drowsiness. I’m interested in creating pieces that might activate at specific times of day, such as installations that only reveal certain features at night.So, my exploration of rhythm is both material, through the living plant itself and conceptual, as I experiment with how time can be structured and experienced within an artwork. A plant of Mimosa pudica: its leaves respond to physical contact by retreating the leaflets, making it harder for any herbivores to eat them Are there any visual symbols, colours, or patterns you use to represent day and night, light and dark, rest and activity? Not strongly, at least not yet. I don’t think I have a strict symbolic language, like “this colour means night.” But I’ve been thinking about how circadian data is often represented, those graphs that show the dark and light phases over 24 hours, with black for night and white for day. I once created a series of 24 drawings made over 24 hours, and I’ve been considering adding a strip beneath each one, black or white, to mark whether it was dark or light at the time. You’re working now with the Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences. How has it been to grow and work with plants in the department? It’s been really great. Early in my PhD, I was given a tour of the institute and introduced to the different spaces where plants can be grown. I started cultivating Mimosa pudica in the glasshouse last January.It’s been wonderful, there’s always someone with expertise in plant care who is happy to guide you through the procedures. For the mimosas, for example, I learned how to activate the seeds in the lab, which was a fascinating process. It’s incredible to see all the tools and facilities available.I also feel a lot of support from the institute. Even when I was exhibiting at Hidden Door’s Edge of Matter, many people from the department came to see the show. There’s a genuine sense of interest, generosity, and encouragement within the community. What is it like to bring your artistic practice into a scientific space? For example, you’ve been drawing in the glasshouse instead of in a traditional studio. How does that feel?At the beginning, I felt a bit like an intruder. I wasn’t sure if it was okay for me to be there drawing, but everyone was perfectly welcoming and supportive.It’s quite different from working in an art school, where everything I need is already in place for making work. At the institute, I have to bring my own materials in, but I actually enjoy that. I like the feeling of going to the plants instead of bringing them to me, I go to see them in their own environment. Irene’s study of Mimosa pudica at the PhD Showcase, focus plant of many of her artistic practice through the first year of her PhD. What are your plans for the next stage of your project?I want to keep working with Mimosa pudica. I’ve already done quite a lot with mimosa, especially around the idea of “sleepy sculptures,” but I’d like to show that work again and continue exploring it further. I’m curious to see how it might change in different environments. For instance, it was previously shown at Hidden Door’s Edge of Matter in a kind of factory or warehouse setting, but how would it feel in a gallery space, or even within a scientific space?I also want to experiment with other plants. I’ve been thinking about petunias, particularly because of their circadian-controlled scent release at night to attract pollinators. Scent could be an interesting way to build time-based works, something that only happens in the evening.I’m also drawn to the idea of night ecologies, perhaps creating a night garden. I’m not sure if petunias would be suitable for long-term outdoor growth here, since they come from warmer climates, so I’ll need to consider which species are locally viable. Ultimately, I’d like to develop a project that extends into outdoor or forest like environments, not just indoor spaces. Irene’s artwork at Edinburgh College of Art Where can people see your work or follow your progress?I’m on Instagram (@irenealdazabal) where I post updates whenever there’s an upcoming exhibition. I also have a website (www.irenealdazabal.com) where you can see some of my previous work.I don’t have a confirmed exhibition at the moment, but I’m hoping to continue showing new works next year, possibly including something within the Institute. Hidden Door runs on an open call every year, so depending on timing and selection, I’d love to take part again. There’s also usually a PhD showcase at the Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, so I’m sure I’ll be presenting something there as well. Irene Aldazabal’s PhD research exemplifies the value of interdisciplinary collaboration between the arts and sciences. By combining sculptural practice with the study of plant circadian rhythms, her work contributes to a growing dialogue between creative and scientific approaches to understanding time and the living environment. This article was published on 2026-01-16
