Paper Gardens: Art, Botany, and Empire

Paper Gardens: Art, Botany, and Empire, at Museum of Art & Photography, explores the intersection of art, science and colonial history through botanical illustrations from the Indian subcontinent. The exhibition traces how plants were documented, studied and circulated during the height of the British empire, revealing their role as both scientific subjects and cultural symbols.

Bringing together over a hundred detailed drawings, the exhibition highlights the collaboration between European botanists and local artists, whose contributions shaped the development of botanical knowledge. These works, created in gardens, forests and fields, transform living plants into precise visual records while reflecting complex histories of labour, authorship and global exchange.

Together, the exhibition offers a nuanced perspective on how art and science intersect, inviting viewers to reconsider the layered histories behind botanical imagery.

Why You Should Visit
A visually rich exhibition that uncovers the intersections of art, science and colonial history through botanical illustration.