Plant Laboratory Exhibition - Javett Art Centre

The Department of Library Services, Humanities Javett Art Center was involved in the preparation and participation of the much-anticipated Plant Laboratory exhibition. The exhibition ran from 31 January and closed on 28 April 2023. The Plant Laboratory was initiated under the experimental research platform Laboratory of Ideas, and it took extensive creative research further by exploring indigenous plants in the Northern parts of the South African region and some parts of the African continent. 

Guests and researchers were invited to this interactive, creative and collaborative research process to see what an artistic, edible and indigenous plant garden could look like. The guests were also invited to express their suggestions and ideas relating to the Plant Lab exhibition on the canvas wall provided. Mentioned on the exhibited walls were educational workshops, cooking sessions, film programs, live dialogues, a series of art commissions and more. A series of topics ranging from the industrialization of food systems, taking care of the Earth, food production, food sustainability, agricultural and community interactions, and migration of plant crops were the topics that were discussed at the opening of this exhibition. Relevant books that were borrowed from the Department of Library Services collection were displayed throughout the exhibit.

Caption: Our African food and plants which were displayed on the opening of the exhibition.