IF PEOPLE WERE LIKE PLANTS
Creative Review Graduate of 2016 and fellow plant lover, Freya Morgan, talks about the friend who sits on your windowsill.
Words & Pictures by Freya Morgan.
I remember one day, I was sat alone in my room, feeling incredibly sad and lonely, thinking about how annoying all of my friends must find me. I looked around and sighed, thinking, ‘if only my plants could talk to me, then I wouldn’t have to worry about friendship, because my plants could never leave me’, and so the concept underlying this project was born.
I’ve long been fascinated with indoor plants, ever since I was a child. Specifically I recall a moment in my mum’s office at work, where she had a huge cheese plant sat by the window. I often looked at those big friendly, holey leaves and wanted to hold them. Like we would be holding hands. There’s always been something very exciting and uplifting about bringing something living and from the outside world into the static indoor environment.
Only when I moved away from home did I really get to start my family of foliage. I collected them enthusiastically, buying them regardless of whether I had the appropriate conditions for them to survive, and so most of them died (except my cheese plant which is still going strong) and I started to feel guilty about causing their needless death. Why is it that we don’t feel bad about causing the death of another living organism?
Life is still life, and a plants existence on this planet is just as important as ours is for the benefit of their species. I mean yeah, obviously they don’t have a central nervous system in the same way that we would understand it, but they might feel in a way that is completely intangible to us, and in my opinion you just never know, so why cause needless harm to any being?
These Illustrations are supposed to represent my take on the self-importance possessed by mankind on the face of the earth. By swapping the role of the houseplant and the human in these familiar home scenarios, I hope to evoke a sense of equality between the two entities in that, in some alternative world, the plants would be keeping us on their shelves. I think the reason that plants are so wonderful is their aspect of life and growth and change. They are not purely aesthetic objects, because with them you have a relationship where you provide your plant with nourishment, and in return it provides you with the pleasure of seeing it flourish and grow. A bit like a well nurtured child.
See more of Freya's work on her website: http://www.freya-morgan.com/