This work began as a speculation on the survival of plants in South Africa. Despite being sessile, plants turn ecological disasters of fire and frost into ecological drivers through a remarkable evolution in adaptation strategies. Working with plant pigments and floral photo-sensitive emulsions to study their survival was an entryway into discovering the holographic nature of being, with the humble existence of plants mirroring the grandeur of the cosmos.

The exhibition voyages into the unobserved universe of plants, swaying between the terrestrial and the celestial. A video projection facing upwards plays simultaneously with a video facing downwards, both unfolding infinitesimal stellar worlds within the floral world. A large cotton print made from an assemblage of anthotypes faces a series of sixty anthotypes printed over thirty days. These camera-less photographs were made from indigenous species spanning ericas and restios from the Capensis, as well as fire, drought, wind and frost tolerant trees, grasses and floriferous plants found in the Highveld. Intricate impressions of plant morphologies made by floral pigments were exposed under sunlight over days. These indexical, tactile images recorded ephemeral traces of the plants, as they continue to change colour, oxidise, and fade with time. Far from the arresting nature of photographs, these images embrace and echo the rhythms of the natural order, driven by both sunlight and starlight.

Zooming into the microscopic existence of earthbound plants zooms out to the enormous expanse of all existence in the cosmos. Thick barks, hairy leaves, pollen clouds, serotiny and seed dispersals—conditions required for plants to survive extremities—echo cosmic parallels of nebulae, planetary atmospheres, cosmic dust, supernovae and meteor showers. That plants transform destructive circumstances into opportunities for renewal, and continue to support life- sustaining elements while being immobile, demonstrates a profound understanding of their environment. Yet, the being and becoming of plants is selectively appreciated either through a cultural lens or more so by extractive approaches for the benefit of humankind. This exhibition thus hopes to prompt a reconsideration of the perception of plant life, recognising their quiet, otherworldly faculties which shape the face of the Earth.

The residency in NIROX Sculpture Park was supported by Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation, in collaboration with the Centre for Indian Studies in Africa at the University of Witwatersrand.