We still love the idea of a wilderness, an untouched land to discover. However for the most part, wilderness is dead. What we are mostly left with are dilutions of wild areas – greenhouses, winter gardens and pockets of bush – manufactured wild areas. These spaces exist in stark contrast   with what wilderness is supposed to mean; untouched by humans.

The Botanic gardens’ greenhouses act as one of these imitations, in the most exotic way. Historically they were filled with plants taken from the colonies in a grand display of power and scientific wonder. When they were first conceived, Botanical gardens existed as a way to organise the plant world into a western understanding, to construct The Truth, while still demonstrating the wealth and power of the elite. The greenhouses acted as the most surreal and spectacular facet of this demonstration, while creating the illusion of being elsewhere. Ironically outside of the walls of the greenhouses the opposite happened. Plants were removed and the landscape reconfigured, creating large manicured lawns and pathways, establishing colonial order, and ‘civilising’ the landscape.

Lysaght uses the archive and botanical gardens, to explore their histories and contexts as eurocentric institutions, focusing on the limits and possibilities they hold to examine the wider world.

Ashburton born Wellington based Ben Lysaght has Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) from Massey University (2019). Once a Wilderness marks his first solo exhibition.