The exhibition was produced by Bildmuseet and curated by Clelia Coussonnet and Sofia Johansson.
Ground Control at Bildmuseet, exhibition view.
Mónica de Miranda, When words escape, flowers speak, 2017
Hanan Benammar, Desert Garden (detail from the installation), 2015/2020
The exhibition Ground Control explores connections between plants, politics and history. It brings together works by contemporary artists who are interested in the political dimensions of botany: plants as a commodity, the circulation of plants around the world, and their classification.
Viewing the history of humans through the prism of botany raises questions about power, the future and the role of humans in the living world. Trade, the building of empires, and globalisation have led to seeds and plants moving among continents and leaving traces in nature, language and knowledge. In many cases, the scientific mapping of species has taken place hand in hand with the West's hunt for new territories to conquer.
Contributing artists are Maria Thereza Alves, Gerd Aurell, Hanan Benammar, Céline Condorelli, Suzanne Husky, and Mónica de Miranda.
The exhibition was produced by Bildmuseet and curated by Clelia Coussonnet and Sofia Johansson.
