A giant pollen grain you can step inside and explore!

Creative Barking and Dagenham in partnership with Barking Riverside Limited commissioned world-renowned artist Luke Jerram to make a new artwork inspired by the special ecology of Barking Riverside. The result is Pollenarium – a giant immersive pollen grain offering visitors a bee’s eye view of the natural landscape.

Visitors will step through the doorway of a six-metre dome and see the world as a bee might see it. Over 100 lenses act as tiny camera obscuras, projecting an upside-down mosaic of Barking Riverside onto the walls around you.

Luke’s giant Moon, Sun and Earth sculptures have already toured the world, and Gaia and Lullaby visited Barking Riverside back in 2021. Now he’s created something entirely new. Known for artworks that explore the wonder of astronomy, Luke turns his attention in Pollenarium to the fascinating world of bees and insects, revealing the hidden process of pollination.

For more information about Pollenarium and the Pollinator Parade workshops leading up to Emerge East visit creativebd.org.uk.

Created by UK artist Luke Jerram and Pneuhaus, commissioned by Creative Barking and Dagenham in partnership with Barking Riverside Limited, with co-commissioning support from the Royal Horticultural Society and the University of Bristol.