Bulb of Biodiversity
The Bulb of Biodiversity is a large-scale, tulip bulb-shaped artwork created in various locations in Leiden. This colourful, intricate painting brings together iconic landmarks familiar to the people of Leiden, such as the Morspoort, Naturalis, and the Clusius Garden in the Hortus botanicus with lesser-known but vital aspects of the city’s natural ecosystem. As viewers step closer, the artwork reveals hidden layers of life in the soil: worms, larvae, fungi and bacteria. With its fusion of art, nature, and community, the project invites the public to rediscover the richness of the world beneath our feet.
Scientific collaboration
The project is rooted in scientific research into soil biodiversity, by Naturalis Biodiversity Center, and Leiden Centre for Applied Bioscience. The lower half of the bulb visualises the often invisible underground ecosystems, highlighting the essential role of microbial life in maintaining ecological balance. The project contrasts conventional and organic bulb cultivation, exposing the effects of pesticides on soil health and biodiversity through visual storytelling. The results of the DNA analyses of the soil samples are depicted through their actual DNA sequences.
Participation project
Throughout the painting process, the artwork grew through interaction with diverse communities at three locations in Leiden: Het Gebouw in De Kooi, Hogeschool Leiden at the Bio Science Park, and the Hortus botanicus. At Het Gebouw, surrounded by schools, a library, and community services, local residents, children and adults alike, shared ideas ranging from tiny insects to local traditions like the 3 October festivities. At Hogeschool Leiden, input came from students, researchers, and educators. An example is the great tit with food in its beak, a reference to the citizen-science project to study pesticide use. In the final phase at the Hortus botanicus, conversations with visitors, including international tourists, brought new perspectives, particularly around the environmental impact of pesticide use. Across all three locations, public input helped shape this collaborative artwork that connects science, people and imagination.
Preview
During midsummer night 2025, the finished bulb was for the first time visible for the public. It was placed in the garden of the Hortus botanicus Leiden. About 2500 people visited the event and we discussed all the stories visible on the artwork
