As the Mailbox prepares to welcome the very first aquarium exhibition to the city next week, the company behind the spectacle, ViDERE, is making a splash by pledging its support for clean water charities worldwide. Bringing the ViDERE Life Gallery to Kitchen Gallery SieMatic from 3-8 December, the event will showcase 10 aquariums and living art pieces in a bid to answer its own question of if ‘Nature is ART?!’. 

The week-long installation brings together aspects of architecture, horticulture and interior design, to bring the public entirely unique pieces that live, grow, and thrive. While they are stunning, there’s more to these than meets the eye as each is fully-functioning, housing fish and plant-life in an optimum environment.

Keen to make a difference, the aquarium-specialist behind the exhibition – ViDERE’s director, Akil Beckford – is casting his eye beyond the tanks to see what impact the project can make long-term. To do this, ViDERE has teamed up with B1G1 to support some of the most disadvantaged communities around the world to get access to clean and safe water.

Commenting on the partnership, Akil said:

“The ViDERE Life Gallery is a project that is really close to my heart and has been a vision of mine for years. Now that I am finally able to bring this to fruition, I want it to have an impact – not just for those who are able to visit it and interact with it, but further afield. I’m a firm believer that there’s so much we can gain from the living world, so now I feel it’s mine and ViDERE’s time to give that back.

“Through B1G1, when anyone buys products or services from ViDERE, a percentage of that sale will be donated to clean water projects that promote good family health, enable access to education and most importantly facilitate entrepreneurial opportunities across the globe.”

While this may seem like a drop in the ocean, Akil hopes that the ripple effect of ViDERE’s donations will be felt by those that are most in need soon enough and that the ViDERE Life Gallery will contribute to raising both awareness and funds for these vital causes.

The exhibition will launch on the evening of 3 December, with a VIP event at Kitchen Gallery SieMatic. Guests will have the opportunity to premier this city first, meeting the masterminds behind the gallery, enjoying the showcase, and even trying dishes prepared by celebrity chef, Sudha Shankar Saha, in live kitchen demonstrations.

This exclusive event will kickstart a packed programme of activities, run by ViDERE and Kitchen Gallery SieMatic. This week’s worth of workshops, in association with Mailbox Birmingham and Gaggenau, will focus on wellness in the home and achieving healthy lifestyle, while also upskilling attendees with lessons in aquarium design, indoor planting, floral design, and cooking.

“I am really looking forward to getting the ViDERE Life Gallery off the ground and welcoming Birmingham to view it next week. This has been a labour of love for me and the team, but I can’t wait to share it with the city – I hope Birmingham enjoys it as much as I have enjoyed creating it and that together, we can make a real difference for those beyond the city too.”

To find out more about the B1G1 partnership, or to see the full events line up and sign up for tickets, visit www.videreaquariums.com.