There are over 70 species of tobacco plants, and for this series, I cultivated Nicotiana tabacum, the most commercially significant species. During the growing process, I used the large tobacco leaves as canvases for imagery created through a temporary tattoo process. This approach suggests that the plant, with its complex relationship to humans, carries a history inscribed upon its leaves. The imagery references tobacco’s origins in the Americas, its widespread use in Europe following colonization, and its roles in addiction, suffering, spirituality, and medicine. The scale of the works evokes associations with manuscripts, maps, stained glass, skin, and lungs.
