VERY SAD LAB: THE INCUBATOR
FEBRUARY 05 – MARCH 19, 2022
A living, growing, exhibition and resource lab for what to expect when you’re expecting.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The annual season of groundwork is upon us, and winter is the perfect time to prepare for new plant parenthood. Join Very Sad Lab’s plant Incubator at Transformer for a living, growing site-specific installation, resource lab, and series of pre-plant-parent programs for what to expect when you’re expecting.
Proceeding from an intersection of art, science, ecology, and horticulture, Very Sad Lab seeks to create a greener DC by connecting people to nature through plants. Through ongoing plant rehabilitation and research, Very Sad Lab is building long term relationships between plants and people that are rooted in intentional practices of attention and care of plants.
For the duration of six weeks, plants will grow inside The Incubator exhibition at Transformer, as both plants and prospective plant parents prepare for life together. Through the installation of an indoor nursery and creation of a resource lab, Very Sad Lab artists will create a space for plant human connection. Providing accessible opportunities to understand plant human relationships, Very Sad Lab will also host a series of preparatory online plant workshops and create guided resources on new plant care. At the close of the exhibition on March 19, 2022, Incubator plants will be adopted out to new plant parents throughout DC, creating a network of connections across the city.
Spider plants propagating in water inside Topo Chico bottles at the Very Sad Lab, 2019.
VERY SAD LAB: THE INCUBATOR
Installation details, 2022, images by Mariah Miranda.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Artists Valerie Wiseman and Naoko Wowsugi inside The Incubator, image by Mariah Miranda.
VERY SAD LAB is a houseplant rehabilitation and research-based community-engaged art project developed by artists Valerie Wiseman and Naoko Wowsugi in 2019. By rehabilitating sad plants, sharing resources, and providing plant education, Very Sad Lab aims to build sustainable and greener DC communities.
Is your plant sad? Very Sad Lab offers a variety of services including sad plant evaluation, intake, rehabilitation, adoption, and plant care education. Very Sad Lab operates nomadically through collaborative pop-ups and via a Satellite Lab at Eaton House DC. More info contact verysadlab@gmail.com / @verysadlab.
EXHIBITION PROGRAMS
Sat., Feb. 05, 2022, 12 – 4pm (EST): THE INCUBATOR OPENING
Visit The Incubator at Transformer. Open Hours to visit with the plants, drop off propagations and resources, and learn more with the artists outside the space. At Transformer from 12– 4pm; facemasks are required.
Visitors at the opening of Very Sad Lab: The Incubator at Transformer, 2022.
Sat., Feb. 12, 2022, 12pm (EST): PLANT 101
Start from the beginning. Learn how to prepare to take care of your plants including proper watering, finding your light, feeding techniques, and how to match with your perfect plant partner. New and seasoned plant parents are welcome. Share knowledge, share resources. This program will be presented virtually on Transformer’s Instagram (@transformerdc) and website with the opportunity for a Q&A session with the artists.
PLANT 101 | PART 1
PLANT 101 | PART 2
Tues., Feb. 22, 2022: 02.22.22 AT 02:22
Prepare your mind and body for plant parenthood with a Gong Sound Bath led by Naoko Wowsugi inside The Incubator. This program will be broadcast on IGLive at 2:22pm (EST); tune in to @transformerdc.
Sat., Mar. 05, 2022, 2pm (EST): PROPAGATION & GERMINATION
Propagation is basic multiplication. Learn how to propagate and germinate plants from other plants including houseplants and common vegetables. Multiply the green, multiply the joy. This program will be presented live in person and on Transformer’s Instagram (@transformerdc) and website with the opportunity for a Q&A session with the artists at The Incubator. Free seeds for Incubator visitors thanks to Share A Seed / SlowFoodDC.
Sat., Mar. 19, 2022, 1 – 6pm (EST): BABY SHOWER & PLANT ADOPTION DAY
Celebrate growth! Now that you know what to expect when you’re expecting, adopt a free plant from The Incubator. We’ll spend the day potting up all the plants for adoption, sharing green resources, and talking with friends about local grassroots initiatives.
With free baby plants for The Incubator, free seeds from Share a Seed / SlowFoodDC, and free Topo Chico thanks to exhibition sponsor, Topo Chico USA. Sad plants for repotting at The Incubator also welcome!
At Transformer (1404 P Street NW) from 1–6pm; facemasks are required.
The Incubator Zine 001, available in print at The Incubator.
The Incubator TV Playlist | Compilation of found Youtube Videos on plant care and horticulture topics.
Plants collaborative playlist playing inside The Incubator.
Naoko Wowsugi shares the roots of a spider plant before repotting in the Very Sad Lab, 2019.
EXHIBITION SUPPORT
