THE SINGH TWINS: Botanical Tales and Seeds of Empire
Exploring art, empire and the enduring significance of plants.
This autumn in Kew’s Shirley Sherwood Gallery, discover two complementary exhibitions that explore the complex colonial history of botanical art through both historical and contemporary lenses.
THE SINGH TWINS: Botanical Tales and Seeds of Empire
In Gallery 5, THE SINGH TWINS: Botanical Tales and Seeds of Empire by internationally acclaimed artists The Singh Twins showcases a striking new body of work inspired by Kew’s botanical archives. Displayed as fabric light boxes, these explore the deep connections between botany, empire and trade.
Through bold imagery, they reveal how plants such as cotton, spices and dyes played a pivotal role in colonial expansion. Alongside these are works highlighting the symbolism and cultural significance of plants across global traditions.
The exhibition also features their powerful short film King Cotton: An Artist’s Tale, reflecting on colonial narratives of plant commodification and its relevance today.
In March 2026, join The Singh Twins for an exclusive discussion about their new exhibition at Kew - find out more and book your tickets here.
Flora Indica
Concurrently, the exhibition Flora Indica: Recovering the lost histories of Indian botanical art, is displayed in Galleries 1–4, the first-ever public display of 52 rediscovered botanical illustrations by Indian artists commissioned by British botanists between 1790 and 1850.
These exquisite watercolours, hidden for over a century, shed light on the contribution of Indian artists in shaping botanical knowledge. Co-curated by Dr Henry Noltie and Dr Sita Reddy, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the environments where these master artists worked, spanning present-day India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The Shirley Sherwood Collection
Finally, in Gallery Six, The Shirley Sherwood Collection explores India's rich biodiversity through contemporary botanical art. From crops such as coconuts and bananas grown in the tropical southern states to rhododendrons in the Himalaya, these exquisite artworks dive into the finer scientific details, colours and forms of native species and plants introduced across the country.
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