Biotic Commune

Biotic Commune description

Kasia Tons is an Adelaide textile artist whose work sits at the intersection of art, fashion and craft. Taking inspiration from the Santos Museum of Economic Botany in the Adelaide Botanic Garden, her latest exhibition for the Guildhouse Collections Project explores the symbiotic relationship between plants and humans.

A late 19th century museum devoted to informing people about ‘useful plants’, the Museum of Economic Botany’s rich history has proven fertile ground for artistic inspiration. For Biotic Commune, Tons honed her focus on a collection of plants, both within the Museum and the Garden’s Living Collections, that have made significant contributions to nutrition, spirituality, work, shelter and medicine.

Using intricate hand embroidery, seed mats and masks fashioned from plant skins, Tons has created a suite of cultural artefacts from the future. Subverting the science fiction trope of technology as key to human survival, Biotic Commune envisages a future where our existence depends on humans taking a giant step back and supporting the natural world as caretakers.

Event additional information

Partners

Expand or collapse Partners