Botany under Influence

Featuring work by: Alberto Baraya, Joscelyn Gardner, Sasha Huber & Petri Saarikko, Kapwani Kiwanga, Pia Rönicke, Beatriz Santiago Muñoz

Botany under Influence delves into the politics of plants and explores systems of meaning that have been impressed upon nature, flora, and seeds throughout eras of imperialism, colonialism, and globalization. Unearthing forgotten and parallel histories, this exhibition reveals how the exportation of natural resources has affected worldwide power structures and cultural behavior. It pushes us to reconsider common perceptions and representations about nature ‘having always been there,’ being ‘neutral’ or ‘passive,’ when instead plants embody the larger History and are integral actors in it.

This show investigates historical gaps and the economic and diplomatic implications of nature’s uses and international exchange flow patterns. Its starting point is the imperial era, as early as the 15th century, when Western powers built their wealth by looting human and natural resources – systematically appropriating or exporting workforce, plants, and minerals. Throughout the ages and societies, control over flora and seeds has become a symbol of national, political, and food sovereignties.

Several research-based artworks highlight the human construct of botany and its links with geopolitics while reminding us that ultimately what is at stake is our collective memory and the way we envision and build our social structures in relation to our apexart nyc environment.