Exhibition Explores Intelligence Through Natural Metaphors at Potter Museum

An exhibition titled 'A velvet ant, a flower and a bird' is being presented at the Potter Museum of Art in Melbourne from February 19 to June 6, 2026. The show is guest curated by Prof. Dr. Chus Martínez and features works drawn from the University of Melbourne's collections in Art, Biology, and Classics, supplemented by newly commissioned pieces and live performances. The exhibition uses three natural figures—a velvet ant, a flower, and a bird—as central metaphors, with each entity symbolically presiding over a different floor of the museum. These elements are presented as a conceptual garden of knowledge and a parliament of beings, each carrying significant symbolic weight. The exhibition aims to challenge and expand conventional understandings of intelligence, proposing it as a dynamic, evolving, interconnected, and interdependent phenomenon. This theme is explored through a mix of contemporary artworks and historical artifacts that are displayed together. One featured work is 'Descending blushes' (2025) by artist Teelah George, courtesy of the artist and Neon Parc gallery in Melbourne. The overall presentation encourages visitors to reconsider definitions of intelligence by examining relationships between art, science, and classical knowledge.