This week, I visited the MA CAP pop-opening at Inverleith House, an exhibition that showcased a variety of interactive and thought-provoking works. The show was rich in engagement, encouraging visitors to reflect on themes of nature, history, and accessibility. Many pieces invited participation, blurring the boundary between viewer and artwork. The curatorial approach was particularly effective in fostering an environment where audiences could not only observe but also engage in dialogue with the works, making the experience more immersive.

Among all the fascinating works, my favorite was Rounding up the Aliens (2025) by Layla Knox. This delicate piece, featuring pressed plants arranged on textured boards, stood out for its subtle yet profound storytelling. Inspired by Ida Margaret Hayward’s herbarium, the work reflects on the historical classification of ‘foreign’ plants. Hayward, a botanist from the early 20th century, meticulously identified and recorded seeds transported via trade routes, contributing to botanical knowledge while also engaging in a colonial discourse of categorization and exclusion. Knox’s piece reinterprets this history through a contemporary lens, using handmade materials to evoke the fragility of memory and the natural world. The inclusion of a personal poem written by Hayward adds an intimate layer, connecting scientific documentation with personal reflection.

 

Photograph taken by the author

I found this work particularly compelling because it raises questions about how we define ‘native’ and ‘foreign’ in both ecological and cultural contexts. In today’s world, where migration and displacement are pressing issues, the piece subtly critiques the ways in which classification systems—whether in botany, history, or society—can reinforce exclusionary narratives. The work’s quiet beauty draws the viewer in, while its underlying narrative provokes deeper thought.

Overall, the exhibition successfully created a space where interaction and contemplation coexisted. The works not only engaged the audience physically but also encouraged intellectual and emotional reflection. The careful attention to materiality and historical narratives within many of the pieces added richness to the experience. I look forward to seeing how these themes continue to develop in future projects, especially in how contemporary artists reinterpret history through tactile, interactive, and participatory methods.