the honey is sweet
Video installation
2020 - 2021
As part of the artistic research project GardenShip and State at Museum London (London, ON), the honey is sweet is a video installation that reflects my exploration of the colonial history and growth patterns of one of the foremost invasive plant species in Canada: Phragmites australis. The presence of invasive phragmites in Canada reflects the pervasive impact of colonial expansion and industrial processes on southwestern Ontario’s native vegetation, endangered species, and the ongoing threat it poses to biodiversity in Canada. The documentary-like video traces my journey through overgrown Ontario wetlands on the Truxor machine – a phragmites control vehicle that cuts and removes biomass. In tracing the colonial history of P. australis arrival in Canada and investigating current treatment methods, the honey is sweet invites the questioning of environmental decision-making, in favour of more inclusive and informative strategies for controlling invasive species.
* full viewing of video available upon request.