Plantography Workshop: An Unruly Herbarium

Join artist of the month Becky Lyon for a mindful (and mischievous) morning exploring experimental plant photography and exploring the themes of the Touch Me Not pop-up installation. We will use direct-to-photo paper techniques as a method of noticing things we might ordinarily miss when we are snapping through Instagram! This is less about crafting a perfect image: much more about exploring processes with our hands, embracing happy accidents and honing our attention to the details.

We will use different cameraless techniques to explore ways of looking and making to create a set of curious revealed-and-obscured plant images. 

Schedule: 

• 10AM - Doors open to see the exhibition (optional) 
• 11AM - Workshop begins 
• 1PM - Workshop finishes 

Key information: 

• Depending on the weather the workshop will take place partly inside and outside so please come dressed for the weather!
• The site will be open from 10am to give you the chance to see the artworks first.
• Over 16s only
• We will be handling plant matters and photographic papers which are ordinarily safe to use but please be mindful if you have allergies.
• Please let us know no less than 48 hours ahead of the event if you have any access or sensory needs and we will endeavour to accommodate. Please be advised that regretfully the gardens are not accessible for wheelchair users.

About the Host:

Becky Lyon is an artist, PhD researcher and London National Park City Ranger of mixed English x Jamaican heritage. Her practice is invested in the politics of ecology, particularly in England and the possibilities of art in rehearsing more equitable and liveable worlds. She explores sensory and bodily knowledges as a way of reclaiming our relationship to place and her work takes the form of tactile objects, sensory installations, hand-made moving images, audio experiments and publications. Recent projects have included investigating notions of Britishness through the spread of the ‘invasive’ Muntjac deer; a heat-reactive installation for visitors to embody the uneven distribution of rising temperatures; performances for London’s polluted waters and surfacing relationships to soil and water through a pop-up cafe experience. She runs Ground Provisions, a ‘schooled-by-the-forest’ for adults and The Department of Artecology, a space for transdisciplinary conversations in the conservation sector.

elasticfiction.co @elastic_fiction

About OmVed Gardens: 

OmVed Gardens is a garden, exhibition, events, and learning space in North London dedicated to exploring the connections between food, ecology and creativity for health and climate resilience. We are on a mission to inspire ecological awareness and action, and deepen our understanding of interconnectedness with the natural world.

As a registered Community Interest Company, all our activities prioritise social and ecological objectives. Whether collaborating with chefs, creatives, gardeners, or schools, OmVed Gardens is a hub for education, connection, and action. We aim to inspire individuals and communities to reimagine their role in building a healthier, more resilient world.

We work to increase biodiversity - of species, seeds, food systems, and participation, through regenerative gardening, seed saving, habitat creation, and ecological education. Our space serves as a living example of how urban areas can be transformed into thriving ecosystems that support both human and non-human communities.

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www.omvedgardens.com · @omvedgardens

Subsidised Tickets: We have a few reserved tickets at a subsidised rate. If this workshop is not monetarily accessible, please write to us at events@omvedgardens.com to avail yourself of a subsidised ticket rate. Subject to availability.

Refund Policy: Tickets are non-refundable, except in cases where an event is sold out and a waiting list exists for the session. Refund requests can be made up to 10 days prior to the session. Please write to us for any refund inquiries.

A note on accessibility: The gardens are set on a hill, featuring steep paths and may not be suitable for those with limited mobility. Wheelchair access across the site is currently limited while landscape works are underway. For events, there is drop-off access by car to the Barn main building. If you require wheelchair drop-off, please get in touch with us ahead of time. There is an accessible toilet located inside the Barn