The Planet of Orchids: Art, Ethnography, and Ecology towards Plant Perspective

Abstract

This artistic practice-based research explores the biosociality of Hong Kong’s local orchids through the lens of multispecies ethnography, conservation ecology, and visual arts. While plants in research have found themselves confined to human history and culture in ethnobotany, or relegated to being purely part of creative expressions in artistic projects, this study brings orchids to the forefront of a research journey. In this research, orchids are beyond research subjects; they are sentient beings with their own stories, shaping symbiotic relationships with neighbouring more-than-humans in their habitats.

The resultant artefact from this research was an ecocinema piece, (Welcome to) The Planet of Orchids. This film positions orchids as protagonists. Orchid protagonists unfold alternative narratives and audiovisual expressions, inviting human audiences to comprehend more-than-human agents from an orchid’s plant-centred perspective. Cinematic expressions in this film are an extension of the research inquiries and objectives, aiming to challenge human-centric interpretation of the more-than-human realm.

The film emerges from interdisciplinary fieldwork, investigating and engaging with orchids and their multispecies communities. Artistic practices bridge multispecies ethnography and conservation ecology, simultaneously revealing the shared nature of these seemingly different fields. These practices evolve from botanical illustration to photography and videography, producing creative and qualitative data that captures orchids’ multispecies interactions.

The ‘Experimental Botanical Visualisation’ is a fieldwork framework developed through this research, combining observation techniques from ethnography and biology with artistic techniques. It facilitates systematic yet flexible observation, documentation, and presentation of orchid life. This framework contributes to interdisciplinary studies, as a practical guideline in researching and working with plant agencies and their biosociality.

This thesis serves as a written companion to the artistic practices and the film, weaving together the ‘practice’ and ‘research’ of this study. It illustrates a comprehensive exploration of the theoretical underpinnings and transformative journey that have shaped this research. Collectively, the thesis, artistic works, and film form a cohesive body of work that visualises the more-than-human world, supporting holistic, ecocentric understandings of plant life and multispecies relationships.

Date of Award	10 Feb 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Bo ZHENG (Supervisor)