Shipping Roots

Plants have always moved over and between land masses with the aid of humans, transported both intentionally and inadvertently from their native lands to new ones. This activity accelerated through European colonial expansion, which massively altered ecosystems. The legacy of colonialism can be seen on landscapes around the world and many of the impacts are now understood to have played their part in the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. In Shipping Roots, Keg de Souza - an Australian artist of Goan heritage – creates narrative around plant species relating to her own cultural removal, drawing from her experiences as a person whose ancestral lands were colonized, to living as a settler on unceded Gadigal land in the place known by its colonial name, Sydney. The exhibition shares lesser-known themes of plants being moved over oceans and lands, transported in the hulls of ships, all important elements of the colonial legacies of the British Empire. Specifically, these stories link Australia, India and the UK and remind us that the entanglement of plants and people are inextricably tied to understanding place, and a notion of belonging. This book includes high quality photography of the exhibition as well as essays and recipes by numerous contributors.

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