Hosted in the Royal College of Art's Hockney Gallery, the ‘Black Botanicals: The Root of Caribbean Medicine’ invited visitors to embark on a reflection on the themes of horticultural innovation, embodiment, and connection. Curated by myself, Jade Lindo, Lucy Roche, and Sophie Seeyave, the visitors could view botanical archives from Bristol Museum and The New York Botanical Garden which were displayed alongside the work of Ellen Walker (illustrations) and William Farr (sculpture).

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The exhibition drew on the impact of colonial expeditions and the natural resources attributed to indigenous knowledge. It considered the influence of illness in the production of botanical medicine, seated in the Caribbean shores from the eighteenth century to the present day. The exhibition was compiled within these sections: Dissolved Bodies, Folk Medicine: A Source of Healing, and Colonial Ties.

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I was involved in exhibition layout and design, interactive section design, and setup of the exhibition. Alongside this, I have designed the exhibition labels, promotional material, and a website.

 

Open for one week only, the exhibition was visited by a large number of visitors including the V&A staff, RCA staff and students as well as the general public. 
 

All photographs have been taken by Shi Tianxiang.