Art and the Bryophyte

Julie Ryder’s residency culminated in an exhibition 'Art and the Bryophyte' at the Australian National Botanic Gardens Visitors Information Centre. The exhibition was an exploration of the research of scientist Dr Christine Cargill who Julie worked with at the CPBR. Part of Dr Cargill’s research was in the area of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts), or ‘moss plants’, and ancient group of plants that play an important ecological role in diverse terrestrial ecosystems. Access to this fascinating field of research and equipment at CPBR enabled Julie to produce detailed large-scale textiles and digital prints of microscopic images of bryophytes, revealing their fascinating and complex structure. The exhibition also explored the history of botany with three-dimensional artworks, investigating ‘the history of collecting and collectors, and questioned the idea of order, perfection and classification.’