Sharjah 24: The sounds of chirping birds resonated through the halls of Expo Centre Sharjah on Day 2 of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) as it transformed into a magical garden with ‘walking’ trees and plants, taking the visitors at the 40th edition of the fair by surprise.

Several Spanish artists, part of the creative group Insolits, dressed as tall trees and plants as they paraded through the SIBF halls as part of their “Green Tree – Curious Plants” immersive performance. The green foliage costumes were made entirely from artificial leaves and flowers and garnered the attention of both adults and children. 

“The artists chose to perform with nature sounds, instead of music. These sounds, just like the books found here at SIBF, have vibrant energy. It’s within all of us and we must connect to it,” said Katerina Stylovska, coordinator of Comme Il Faut Production Company, which organised the show. 

The songs of birds and sounds of the forest came to life from a little woven suitcase of a ‘forest spirit’, who greeted SIBF guests with silent gestures and expressive mime acting. One of the visitors said it felt like being out on a “sunny day.”

The walking “plants” paraded through the halls, approaching school children, who were genuinely fascinated by the performance. Through their actions, the artists sought to make children aware of environmental issues and develop empathy for the world around them since being immersed in the digital world, makes them forget the beauty of the world and they fail to hear the sounds of nature.