The Ragwort

The general definition of a ‘weed’ is ‘a plant in the wrong place’ or ‘a plant growing where it is not wanted’. Where then is the right place for a plant to grow? What does that mean for plant life and human society? The Ragwort traces a Sicilian plant species’ journey with such questions. The plant was introduced to the United Kingdom around 1690 via the Oxford Botanic Garden. However, its exact route of migration remains a mystery. Since then, the plant has been wandering and mingling with the British people, whether they know it or not. This is the so-called ragwort (with its origin in ‘ragged wild plants’), commonly called a weed.

The Ragwort includes a 10-minute video, photographs, texts and archival materials (literature, music, image and video). For the project preview, please visit the website: https://elliekyungran.com/the-ragwort.