MOMENTS IN POT CULTURE: THE CACTUS

Words by Jessica Peace

In 1937 plant hero Frida Kahlo paints the still life ‘Cactus Fruits’, critics argue the deep red fruits reference her own suffering body. Poor gal.

The tradition of the ‘Western’ film taught us in damp, bleak Blighty about dust, cowboys, Indians and sexy boots; bringing us John Wayne in the 1930’s and Clint Eastwood in the 60’s and teaching us how to snap open a cactus and guzzle it’s contents for survival.

If your Nan wasn’t growing them in her bathroom and your Dad wasn’t watching Westerns on a Sunday afternoon then you might have gotten your first feel for the cactus watching the Spielberg produced, ‘An American Tail: Fievel Goes West’. The animated adventure came on telly every holiday during the 90’s and followed a Jewish-Ukrainian mouse and his comedy sidekick ‘Tiger’ tumble through the Wild Wild West.