Thermodynamic Flower

Presented by the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle
Offsite (Occidental Square)
September 11 – November 2021



Naomi Fisher: Thermodynamic Flower is part of Bodies of Discovery, an expansive group exhibition taking place over the Summer/Fall of 2021 and featuring a series of performances, films, and installations. Set and performed in outdoor plazas and parks throughout downtown Seattle, this constellation of works explores the (re)activation of the physical body in our again-accessible public space, and will create sites of artistic discovery in unexpected places over the course of the exhibition. The presentations are curated by the Henry Art Gallery, On the Boards, and Velocity Dance Center, and supported by the Metropolitan Improvement District.



For Thermodynamic Flower, Naomi Fisher (b. 1976, Miami, Florida) drives at the tensions between nature and capitalist dynamics via feminist theories and strategies based on surrealist art. Created specifically for this public space, her thermodynamic sculptures made from galvanized steel invites participation. Solar thermal glass tubes arranged in a sunburst formation collect heat, which is then transferred to a flower shape painted with temperature sensitive paint. The sculpture transforms from red to yellow, illustrating metaphorically the sun’s psychological and emotional effects, as well as the literal transformation of solar radiation into heat via green technology. Mirrored surfaces of the leaf-shaped elements reflect the viewers and surroundings, enfolding the audience into the piece itself.

Related Programs

Thermodynamic Flowers (2021)
Performance: September 18
Occidental Square (Seattle)


Fisher has invited dancer and long-time collaborator Elizabeth Hart to Seattle to create a choreographed event on-site. Hart will improvise and interact with the thermodynamic sculpture, exploring the relationship between nature and culture.



Concrete Flowers (2019)
Screening: September 25
Occidental Square (Seattle)


An outdoor screening of the film Concrete Flowers (2019) will complement the exhibition on Saturday September 25, 2021. The film follows dancer Elizabeth Hart through an improvised choreographic exploration of Las Pozas. The space is a sculptural garden in Xilitla, San Luis Potosí, Mexico designed and built by surrealist artist Edward James. Beginning with an anecdote of a frost destroying the precious flowers one day, Fisher weaves together a visual vocabulary that draws inspiration from the dreams and practices of other surrealist artists. The film explores the human desire to impose monuments that transcend the powers of time and nature.