We have always been fascinated by the plant world, their captivating beauty and by their capacity to heal, nurture and feed us. 

In the draughting of botanical illustrations the human eye seamlessly merges its twin capacities— scientific acumen and artistic sensibility - The scientific gaze, keen on unraveling details, purposes, and patterns- in harmony with the artistic eye, forever in pursuit of beauty. It’s a delicate choreography, a dance that echoes the profound connection between humanity and the plant kingdom. Botanical illustration annotate this silent conversation with a visual literacy that delicately captures morphology and sometimes delves into the very cells that orchestrate life.

Globally, there is a deep need to explore the little known world of edible tubers. In India, tubers are a crucial part of indigenous food systems and economy. And yet, this diversity is little documented. What role does the world of tubers play in the nutritional needs of these communities? How does it transcend mere sustenance to become an integral part of a broader food system?  What can we learn from the sustenance cycles of these tubers that can propel our diets in the future?

Potatoes are ubiquitous, elephant foot yams are a staple, yet, can we identity a plant when we see one? We have become so accustomed to seeing tubers sold as pebble-like nuggets, large, small and knobby, that there is a cultural disconnect  between the plant and the produce, its production and consumption. That led me to ask, Can we identify the tubers looking at the leaves? What sort of visual literacy do we need to create to enable this? This is the first in a series of explorations that attempts to look at tubers in a new light. 

I wanted bring these little known tubers out of their underground realms to the world, expose them, like cyanotypes, unveiling new possibilities.