Scientific research becomes painterly narration through a process in which botanical, medicinal, historical, pharmaceutical and mythological knowledge is transformed into multilayered visual structures. Painting functions as a living archive in which endangered plants become carriers of ecological, historical and cultural memory. Rather than depicting botanical specimens, the works reveal plants as active agents embedded in networks of knowledge, resilience and coexistence.

The accompanying installation series Steelplants extends this investigation through the use of recycled steel shavings—by-products of industrial manufacturing. As one of the world’s most recyclable materials, steel represents the possibility of circular material cycles and responsible resource use. By transforming industrial remnants into plant-like forms, the installations establish a dialogue between endangered biodiversity and sustainable material practices. They invite viewers to reconsider what is perceived as waste and reveal how transformation, regeneration and ecological responsibility can emerge from industrial matter itself.

Together, the paintings and installations form an expanded archive of the living, in which biological and material systems are understood as interconnected carriers of memory. They reflect on biodiversity, circularity and the shared responsibility for preserving both ecological and cultural heritage.

PHOTOCREDITS: © Ruth Mateus-Berr