Essentials Creative—Austin, TX
Medium: Installation art, digital prints on linen, photography, collage, graphic design, and illustration
Location: Chicago Botanic Garden - Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden and the Farm on Ogden
Artist statement: Rhizomatic is a collaborative art installation between Essentials Creative collective and the scientists and staff at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The project is inspired by the rhizome as a philosophical concept developed by theorists Deleuze and Guattari. The installation weaves together cultural and scientific stories about diversity and collaboration. Featured plants in the artwork include ginkgo biloba, pawpaw, horsetail, white sage, eastern prairie fringed orchid, kernza, and amaranth. We aim to contribute to multicultural perspectives on plants, share the Garden’s scientific research, and explore rhizomes as a metaphor for interconnectedness.
We aim to contribute to multicultural perspectives on plants, share the Garden’s scientific research, and explore rhizomes as a metaphor for interconnectedness.
"Central to the installation is the notion of the rhizome, a root system that spreads horizontally and forms networks, which symbolizes the non-hierarchical and interwoven nature of egalitarian social constructs."
"Plants also symbolize resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity, paralleling the experiences of marginalized communities. The ability of plants to thrive in diverse environments, sometimes under harsh conditions, mirrors the strength and perseverance of individuals navigating complex social landscapes shaped by their identities."
"Rhizomatic is aesthetically striking, accessible, eloquent and incisive. It draws the viewer in with bright colors and intriguing forms in a celebration of diversity that we now need more than ever."
—Dr. Giovanni Aloi, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Editor in Chief of Antennae: The Journal of Nature in Visual Culture
Ginkgo Culture Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Ginkgo is valued in Chinese Traditional Medicine, symbolizes resilience in Japan, and its fruit, consumed before ripening due to odor, holds cultural significance in fertility, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shintoism.
Ginkgo Science Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Ginkgo biloba, a dioecious tree with variations in leaf structure and color, survives due to its swimming sperm fertilization, attracts animals for seed dispersal, and is a living fossil named from the Japanese term "silver apricot."
Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid Culture Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Eastern Prairie White Fringed Orchid, endangered and reliant on pollinators and controlled burns for survival, involves citizen science efforts to track and sustain its population.
Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid Science Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Platanthera leucophaea relies on specific sphinx moth pollinators and fungal hotspots for propagation, thrives in tallgrass prairie wetlands, and uses wind dispersal and a fleshy tuber to survive fires.
Horsetail Culture Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Horsetails, used in Asian and Native American traditional medicine for their nail, hair, and kidney benefits, also function as natural sandpaper and are resilient enough to thrive in future climate changes.
Horsetail Science Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Equisetum, a living fossil with silica-covered stems and asexual reproduction via rhizomes, reproduces through spores that respond to humidity, and its name derives from Latin words for 'horse' and 'bristle.'
Amaranth Culture Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Amaranth, celebrated by Indigenous women as a symbol of resilience, is a nutritional powerhouse and key crop for food sovereignty, gaining recognition despite historical suppression.
Amaranth Science Story: “Rhizomatic" installation by Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Amaranthus, renowned for its high nutritional value and protein content, is grown globally, supports sustainable agriculture, and attracts various pollinators, with its name linked to the Greek goddess Artemis.
Kernza Culture Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Originating from the Levant region, Kernza brings a unique nutty flavor and lower gluten content to your favorite foods, including pasta, bread, and beer. Discover how this innovative grain is shaping the future of food with its diverse culinary applications.
Kernza Science Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Thinopyrum Intermedium’s deep-reaching rhizomes, stretching up to 20 feet, play a crucial role in soil health. These roots support a rich microbial ecosystem, improve water retention, and enhance soil resistance, making Kernza a champion of sustainable agriculture.
Paw Paw Culture Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Paw paws, symbolizing cultural links for Native Americans, are promoted for African empowerment by activists and are valued for their custard-like fruit, diverse culinary uses, and medicinal plant parts.
Paw Paw Science Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Asimina triloba, America's largest native fruit tree and a living fossil, reproduces via rhizomes and clonal growth, with seeds historically dispersed by megafauna and indigenous people, and relies on a mutualistic relationship with various pollinators.
White Sage Culture Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
White Sage is vital in indigenous traditions for its medicinal and ceremonial uses, facing overharvesting issues, prompting community actions to grow and protect it.
White Sage Science Story: “Rhizomatic” installation by Essentials Creative at Chicago Botanic Garden, 2024
Salvia apiana, drought-tolerant and native to dry, sandy, rocky soils in the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico, attracts bumblebees, carpenter bees, Bombyliidae, and hummingbirds; seed banks protect its future.