Dornith Doherty: "Illuminations: Past, Present, and Future of Fern Research" is a tripartite environmental art exhibition emerging from a research-based creative collaboration with Dr. Alejandra Vasco, Research Botanist, Ana Niño, Librarian, and Tiana Rehman, Herbarium Director at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.

As an artist affiliated with BRIT since July 2021, Doherty investigated the crucial physical artifacts of botanical biodiversity research, from a collection of diaphanized plants made in the 1950s to a contemporary Andean biodiversity project focused on diverse ferns threatened by climate change and ecosystem disruption.

With this exhibition, Doherty presents new large-scale artworks that engage with the past, chronicle the present, and project possible ecological futures. The exhibition includes Doherty’s large-scale transparencies made from mid-20th century American plant studies, artworks made from images of ferns recently discovered in the tropics of Colombia, and a projection of animated genomic data from these plants.

Following the opening reception, the exhibit will be on view through June 30.