Resident Foreigners
Category: Artist Residency
Date: June 2023
Location: The Soil Factory in Ithaca, NY
Project Components:
1. Resident Foreigners Exhibtion
Curated by Linda Weintraub
2. Resident Foreigners Book
3. Cyanotypes
Project Description
The primary objective of this project was to elevate what's at ground level to eye level, thereby raising awareness about the plant diversity under our feet. Paying attention to even a small component of this "green" landscape can lead to a deeper understanding of the land we inhabit, the history of the landscape, and the impacts of colonialism and migration on plant populations. It also fosters plant curiosity and enriches our plant vocabulary wherever we go. Whenever I find myself in a new environment, I take pleasure in identifying plants that I repeatedly come across. Over time, they begin to feel like familiar friends in an unfamiliar terrain. I've always been fascinated by thistles, and when I spotted the local bull thistle around the Soil Factory area, its familiar features stood out in a new setting. Recognizing the history of thistles, both for foraging food and their medicinal properties, deepens my appreciation every time I see them. Plants like Ribwort Plantain, colloquially known as a family of the "White man's footsteps," bear a history of edible plants introduced to the Americas by European settlers and spreading everywhere. While some have explored their uses, most people still see them as a uniform carpet of green. Learning their names and histories matters.
This book chronicles the month-long residency I undertook in Ithaca, New York. It highlights interviews with three Ithaca community members: Joy Lomas, Dr. Jason Corwin, and Natasha Djuric. These discussions revolved around the plant world and the themes of displacement affecting both flora and humans. Additionally, the book includes documentation from the "Resident Foreigners" installation, as well as the cyanotype work I completed in collaboration with the plants at the Soil Factory. These all speak to the theme of understanding our resident foreigners.
The primary objective of this project was to elevate what's at ground level to eye level, thereby raising awareness about the plant diversity under our feet. Paying attention to even a small component of this "green" landscape can lead to a deeper understanding of the land we inhabit, the history of the landscape, and the impacts of colonialism and migration on plant populations. It also fosters plant curiosity and enriches our plant vocabulary wherever we go. Whenever I find myself in a new environment, I take pleasure in identifying plants that I repeatedly come across. Over time, they begin to feel like familiar friends in an unfamiliar terrain. I've always been fascinated by thistles, and when I spotted the local bull thistle around the Soil Factory area, its familiar features stood out in a new setting. Recognizing the history of thistles, both for foraging food and their medicinal properties, deepens my appreciation every time I see them. Plants like Ribwort Plantain, colloquially known as a family of the "White man's footsteps," bear a history of edible plants introduced to the Americas by European settlers and spreading everywhere. While some have explored their uses, most people still see them as a uniform carpet of green. Learning their names and histories matters.
This book chronicles the month-long residency I undertook in Ithaca, New York. It highlights interviews with three Ithaca community members: Joy Lomas, Dr. Jason Corwin, and Natasha Djuric. These discussions revolved around the plant world and the themes of displacement affecting both flora and humans. Additionally, the book includes documentation from the "Resident Foreigners" installation, as well as the cyanotype work I completed in collaboration with the plants at the Soil Factory. These all speak to the theme of understanding our resident foreigners.
1.
Resident Foreigners Exhibtion
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2.
Resident Foreigners Book
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3. Botanical Cyanotypes
