GENUS: On the imaging of plants

The article explores how botanical art and art inspired by plants have always played a more peripheral role to the grander themes of Western Art. In scientific terms genus refers to a taxonomic classification, but within the wider context of art genus may also refer to typologies and techniques used in the visualization of plants by artists and scientists throughout history. The text draws upon the solo exhibition Genus in which plant drawings were exhibited in relation to historic botanical woodcuts and contemporary images developed using electron microscopy.