Research synopsis
My research on gardens took me down a couple of different paths. In starting at the intersection of gardening and borders, I looked initially very literal place — gardening on maps. I learned about how gardens were represented on maps as the promised land, and how they showed up as part of biblical references on medieval maps. This introduced me to forms of medieval maps, especially mappae mundi, which are beautiful not-so-literal maps of the world from roughly the 13th century.
I then started looking for a more critical lens through which to consider gardening. I started down a path of access and gender roles, but decided that looking at the plants themselves inspired me more. I read about the brachen in Berlin — abandoned spaces that were becoming re-colonized by plants. I read about rewilding efforts (primarily in the UK and Australia). And I read about native vs invasive species.
Work progress
I started out making some botanical sketches and map sketches, hoping to make a plant-centric mappa mundi. On my walks, bike rides, and runs around Chicago, I started paying attention to the plants I saw, both in gardens and outside of them. As I began with making map sketches, I didn’t find that path to be terribly generative. I wanted to figure out what this thing I was making was actually helping someone do. I then went out and did some sidewalk rubbings, because I remembered interesting places where weeds were growing up in the cracks in the pavement. I decided to turn these rubbings into little maps/survival guides from the plants perspective.
This is the first (not quite complete yet) survival guide: How To Survive on the Invasive Species List (and like it). It started with a rubbing, and then was illustrated with the emphasis on the weeds, not on the human/built environment. Then there are captions around the weed illustrations like “they can’t get you down when you’re already flat” etc. Aesthetically, I tried to make it look gritty and rough, befitting a patch of cracked pavement, without looking muddy. I’m not quite sure I nailed that aesthetic. I do like the way this is going, and would like to do some more with more sidewalk rubbings.
I’d also like to look at some of the other non-weed plants. I was thinking about doing a spread on some native species that are part of “rewilding” efforts. I took these pictures on an evening bike ride. It struck me as ironic that these “wild”/”rewilded” plants are almost universally behind a fence. I also think they’re really beautiful, yet they’re rarely the ones that people choose to have in their garden. I’m not sure what direction I want to take this one. Whether I do something like “How to Thrive As America’s Last Top Model” or “How to Survive the ‘Wilderness’ That’s Behind Bars.”
This project is truly beautiful. Lost my words after reading through…
Because I LOVE every aspect that you’re going with, will just pick my favorite part, the “plants perspective”.
Among all of the living things, I would imagine the first perspective of a dog, a fish even a hanging CCTV(this doesn’t count as living things, but considering the people behind it), rarely have I come across the idea of plants’ opinion. Things like where would dandelion seeds land? Do they prefer wet or dry soil, quiet or public space? Supposing plants have subjective views and leaving them soil marks is really beautiful in interpreting your intention.
Very inspirational documentation.
Hi Jamie, after looking your guide, I am attracted by your illustrations. I like how you give flowers’ personality and combine their natural behaviour with human’s characteristics. I think the “rewilding” plants are the metaphor of human. We keep growing and occupy natural resources, which are both positive and negative human behaviours. On the one hand, we keep developing and having better living condition because of land expansion; on the other hand, we take away nature resources, which lead other species losing their life and home. Therefore, we praise the beauty of plants’ “rewilding”, but at the same time, we should think about whether their behaviour is moral? Also, your guide is pretty beautiful and I like the colour combinations which is really harmonious. For the thing missing in your guide, I think it lack of interaction. Last, it is admirable for me that you actually rode in outside and did field research.