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SILENT ARCHIVE

        curated by EMMA NICOLSON

        alongside:
  •         AMANDA COBBETT, AMANDA THOMSON,
  •         ANNALEE DAVIS, HANNAH IMLACH,  IŞIK GÜNER,          
  •         JACQUI PESTELL,  JANISE YNTEMA, KARINE POLWART, 
  •         LAURIE CLARK, PIPPA MURPHY,  SARAH ROBERT        
  •         SHARON TINGEY, SHIRAZ BAYJOO, 
  •         SONIA MEHRA CHAWLA  & WENDY McMURDO
During my doctoral research at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE), I sought to quantify the complexity of leaf shape in Begonia by mapping the genetic factors influencing its development. With over 2 000 species, Begonia displays a remarkable range of morphological diversity raising fundamental questions about its evolutionary path. Despite efforts to mathematically distill this diversity, the intricacy of Begonia leaves defied simple classification, highlighting the ecological importance in this mystery. The documentation of my research process (through photographs and leaf scans) draw attention to the fragility and importance of plant diversity. 

The access that one has, however, to the substantial Begonia living collection at RBGE also sheds light on the colonial past and present of the institution itself. By creating morphologically distorted configurations using bamboo and Begonia leaves, I invited the viewer to question which of these physical states are considered “ordinary” and assess the impact of human involvement within these interactions.

INVERLEITH HOUSE, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS EDINBURGH
(February, 2024)