Map Project: Plants & Borders (mixed media)
This series of works are composed of maps deaccessioned from the Walsh Library superimposed on to photographs I took of vegetation native to the Holy Land. While politically derived borders are clearly demarcated by wire, wall and checkpoints, plants find their own territories. Some of these flowers will grow only in a tiny geographical area under very specific conditions. Others may look familiar to the American gardener as plants introduced to the American landscape from abroad. I have labelled each plant according to the accepted botanical nomenclature of the Vienna Code of 2005 (International Code of Botanical Nomenclature).
When travelling through landscape we have a tendency to admire the scene, impressive land formations, great canyons and strata. Bending to examine a leaf or pod allows you to establish a more intimate connection, a better understanding of a place.