Anatomies of an Autumn Herbarium

Anatomies of an Autumn Herbarium investigates the traces left by the withdrawal of water from autumn leaves. The project begins with a collection of individual leaves in different states of transformation. Each leaf is first photographed as a complete body. Three accompanying microscopic images reveal details of its surface and vein network. Attention is directed towards folds, deformations, cracks, and transitions between differently coloured areas. The investigation asks how a body shaped by water changes when its supply ends. Water loss is considered alongside autumn senescence and the beginnings of decomposition. The juxtaposition of scales reveals which structures persist and where their connections begin to break down. The resulting herbarium records the transformations and material traces of individual leaf bodies. At its centre lies the question of what remains legible of a living water transport system’s architecture once its supply has ended.

A heartfelt thank-you to H.P., who played a key role in selecting the leaves at the heart of this project.