Yesterday we were delighted to welcome The Singh Twins to Norwich.
In conversation with Dr Rosy Gray, Head of Living Art at the Sainsbury Centre, The Singh Twins offered a fascinating insight into the research and creative processes behind their recent exhibition, Botanical Tales and Seeds of Empire. Set against the backdrop of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the discussion explored how botanical history, colonial trade, and cultural memory intersect within the artists’ richly layered visual practice.
The conversation revealed the depth of research undertaken by The Singh Twins into botanical collections connected to India, particularly those shaped during the period of the British Empire. Drawing upon archives, historical illustrations, plant specimens, and colonial records preserved at Kew, the artists examined how plants were not only objects of beauty and scientific study, but also instruments of commerce, power, migration, and empire-building.
Through works that combine traditional Indian miniature painting techniques with contemporary narratives, the exhibition reinterprets these histories from a postcolonial perspective. Plants such as tea, indigo, cotton, and spices became symbols within wider stories of extraction, displacement, resilience, and cultural exchange. The discussion highlighted how botanical collecting was deeply entwined with systems of imperial control, while also acknowledging the enduring knowledge and stewardship of Indian communities whose contributions have often been overlooked in official histories.
Dr Rosy Gray guided a thoughtful conversation around the role of art in uncovering hidden narratives within museum and botanical collections. Together, they reflected on how Botanical Tales and Seeds of Empire transforms archival research into visually intricate works that encourage audiences to reconsider familiar histories through themes of ecology, identity, trade, and empire.
The event offered the audience not only an introduction to the recent exhibition, but also a deeper understanding of how contemporary artists can engage critically and creatively with historical collections to reveal stories that remain urgently relevant today.
With thanks to our hosts, Norwich University of the Arts.