Tag Archives: botanical

Rhododendrons: Riddle, Obsession, Threat 

This month we will be making our way to Inverleith House to discuss their new exhibition Rhododendroms: Riddle, Obsession, Threat. We will be joined by Emma Nicolson, Head of Creative Programmes. 

Coinciding with the peak flowering period of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s rhododendrons, this exhibition reveals our significant history of collecting, researching and cultivating this genus. 

Work by contemporary artists Simon Starling, Alison Turnbull and Yan Wang Preston is presented alongside historical botanical illustration, photography and objects from RBGE’s Archive. The exhibition also features newly commissioned work, Rhododatum: a collaboration between artists Stefanie Posavec and Ray Interactive, with RBGE Biodiversity Conservation Network Manager, Alan Elliott. This digital project brings to life RBGE’s expansive Rhododendron data sets and looks at contemporary concerns such as the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species and how that relates to our collections. 

Rhododendrons: Riddle, Obsession, Threat is supported by Players of People’s Postcode Lottery and the Sibbald Trust. The exhibition sits within RBGE’s Climate House project, supported by Outset Contemporary Art Fund’s Transformative Grant.