Collinson's Rapture

Collinson_black plants pinned text strips blue background

MGNH_gallery one_long view of room tables in center

MGNH_gallery one_empty cabinet drawers on floor mirror photograph

Collinson_three silver oval frames black plants inside text strips

Collinson_black plant pinned text strips orange background

Growing_three iron tables chairs plants prints background

each section is 23" tall x 17" wide x 3" deep

2011-2012

wood, cast and fabricated bronze, inkjet prints, glass, pigments

Collinson’s Rapture replicates text from letters written in 1763 between John Bartram, an American naturalist living in Pennsylvania, and Peter Collinson, an English plant collector and shipping magnate.

The etched fragments of text describe the emotional aspects of collecting: the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of finding a rarity, and the frustrations and joys of establishing a rare species in a new environment.

history of natural history