In Kathryn Fleming’s imagined “Regent's Park of Evolutionary Development” the species that prowl and climb and graze are not ones that you would recognise. The Superbivore, for example, has the neck of a giraffe and the balance of the goat, while the six-legged Retro-Reflective Carnivore creates light shows on its fur to dazzle its prey.
“My work tries to imagine a different future. Instead of conserving and preserving nature, what can we do to evolve it?” says Fleming.
Fleming explores the possible results of humans manipulating genetic codes and DNA to create new life forms. These new species create new possibilities for interactions between man and the wild. For example, Fleming’s Bleeding Orchid senses human pheromones and changes colour to display the ovulation cycles of women living in close proximity.
Speaking as one of Design Indaba’s Global Design Graduates 2015, Fleming shares her awe at the possibilities of potential design interventions in evolution.