Throughout history, flowers have inspired creatives, and the Saatchi Gallery’s latest exhibition explores their enduring presence in art and culture. Beyond their beauty, flowers symbolise emotions, myths and stories, shaping our cultural language. Artists continue to harness their power to convey meaning. For Almudena Romera, there is an appreciation not only for the art of flowers, but also for the art from them.”What is art anyway, and why won’t plants be artists too?” asks Romero. Rooted in scientific, artistic and philosophical non-anthropocentric research, her project, The Museum of Plant Art, acknowledges the intelligence, interiority and consciousness in plants. Her exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery presents photographs UV-printed onto glass and acrylic plates infused with nano-crystals. The plates contain iridescent vegetal cellulose developed by the University of Cambridge, which, unlike conventional iridescent surfaces, has no reliance on synthetic chemicals and ink and is solely plant-based. Through our perception of the aesthetic experience of pollinators, Romera hopes that people will question their own perspective and understanding of plants, gaining a new appreciation for plants as artists.
Flowers – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture is on from 12 February to 5 May 2025 at the Saatchi Gallery.
Topics:
