Field Notes: Seed Stories and the Power of Plants
April 13, 2019 - February 23, 2020
Field Notes featured artworks and seed histories from Hudson Valley Seed Company, documentary videos of Staten Island gardeners by Jay Weichun, photograms of local flora by Gale Wisdom, and museum botanical specimens selected by the Greenbelt Native Plant Center. These four projects explored the cultural, artistic, and scientific impact of collecting plant life. In doing so, they revealed narratives of resilience, fragility, and transformation. Field Notes spoke to the heritage embedded in the flora around us and offers unique sensory opportunities for visitors to interact with the exhibition.
Visitors zoomed in to see a variety of seeds up close through a high powered microscope, immersed their hands in a mass of seeds for a tactile experience, designed their own seed packets, and listened to featured seed stories that provided the base of inspiration for several artworks on view. A book nook was also available to enjoy some quiet time with a selection of lively and informative books on seeds and gardening.
With Field Notes, the museum is proud to showcase likeminded artists and scientists who are carrying forward the founders’ tradition in their own ways in a confluence of art, natural science, and history.
—Janice Monger, Staten Island Museum President and CEO