I take a lot of pictures of weeds. Mostly weeds growing in urban settings, but I’m open to all manner of weeds. I am devoting a lot of mental energy to them atm.
Dandelions in particular have taken on a symbolic force in my mind.
Probably because everyone hates them. Well, not everyone. Children and bees love them for their beautiful flowers whimsical wish granting abilities (children for the later, but maybe bees? naaa, they are too busy dancing to make wishes.); they have more nutrients than spinach and their roots are medicinal; and yet adults hate them: we wage a chemical war against them, judge people based on the amount in their lawn and will even report you to authorities if the number exceeds some invisible tolerance line.
Somewhere I read that dandelions take over because they grow in impoverished soil.
When I hear “impoverished soil” I think mostly of grass, but also mono-culture and “developed” spaces. The intersection of earth and capital.
In other words after capitalist interests have exploited all the microbes and chemically burned off any residue from the nutrient rhizome layer of roots, dandelions grow down deep and begin making new soil.
So, basically, dandelions and all their weedy comrades are fighting against environmental degradation brought on by capitalist greed.
What a thing.
When I am hopeful for the future it is because dandelions. Damn right I honor them and all rebel weeds in my art.
Alexandra Ross 