Kudzu Series

These are a series of pieces made from foraged kudzu leaves boiled with washing soda and pressed. Kudzu, an invasive plant from East and Southeast Asia used for medicine, fiber, and as a starch for cooking. It was introduced to the Southeastern United States to tackle soil erosion and for decorative purposes, though now it is a deeply invasive species that chokes out the forested life, covering trees, ground, and infrastructure. Kudzu will be in this part of Turtle Island for many generations to come, and so I wanted to image a material culture that may tie human relationships to this plant through speculative craft and art making.

These pieces were made while I was an artist in residence at Stove Works and will exibit at the Paradise show in their gallery. They were made on and with plants sourced in the ancestral homelands of the Muscogee and Yuchi peoples in Chattanooga, TN, formerly Ross’s Landing, a Cherokee town.

Planet

A tapestry and time-based piece that will fade from green to pale beige.