Nicholas Delap - Urtica Portal - Seed Systems 2022

Nicholas Delaps ongoing research into folklores intertwinement with plant symbologies emerges as an AR experience that coerces a re-wilding of the mind. The user experiences an overlay of Nettles that illuminate the exhibition space and become a pathway for detoxifying and cleansing. Putting the users focus on the natural environment, the artwork creates a contrast between the physical and digital sphere, positioning otherworldly qualities of what we perceive as wilderness and natural. Delaps work examines wild spaces, wildernesses, and the flora and fauna which thrive in the diverse range of landscapes of the British Isles. Examining the Urtica Dioica, also known as Nettle, the artist explores a mysterious and overlooked plant whose medicinal qualities make it one of the most potent healing tools widely available. With a rich magical history within the folklore of the British Isles and northern Europe, the plant thrives in seemingly neglected spaces, man-made and post-industrial landscapes which make up a large portion of today's Britain. Nettle has many properties. It detoxifies soil, regenerates ecosystems and gives way for a more diverse range of plants to grow in its wake. It heals both the human and non-human worlds. Through this, the artist responds to post-human neo ecologies, exploring and reflecting local and global practices around trees and plants.