When is a weed just a weed, and when is it something more? The Vineyard Conservation Society (VCS) selected “Beauty in the Weeds” as the topic for this year’s student art and writing contest. The resulting exhibition is on view through June 15 at the Feldman Family Artspace, curated by the Featherstone Center for the Arts at the M.V. Film Center.
For 12 years, VCS has worked closely with MVRHS students and teachers, presenting a contest topic and going on field trips. In materials for students, VCS states, “The simplest definition of a weed is a self-seeding plant that grows anywhere humans don’t want it.” They ask students to contemplate what constitutes a weed. Are these plants friend or foe? Is it a weed or a wildflower, habitat, or sustenance?
Zada Clarke, director of advocacy and community outreach, explains how VCS arrived at this year’s theme. “Inspired in part by the Plant Local campaign, we collaborated on with BiodiversityWorks, the M.V. Commission, and Polly Hill Arboretum, as well as our VCS Vineyard Lawns initiative, we were compelled to look at what defines a ‘weed,’ and give students a chance to explore their relationship with the plants on our Island that often get overlooked and weeded out. We also hoped that some might use this prompt as a metaphor to ask questions about how we define perfection. Who decides the norms of perfection? The individual? Society? Why are these notions so powerful? And what are the resulting impacts on our lives, culture, and the environment? We hoped this line of questioning might open the students’ lens and challenge assumptions, and by extension open the lens of the audience viewing their art.”
The artwork and poems that fill the space reflect students’ deep consideration of the topic, often moving into metaphor. A beautiful botanical array lies upon an open book in Antonina Kaluzna’s photograph, “Written in the Weeds,” encouraging us to try to read the poignant sentences below. Kaluzna writes about the piece, “Weeds are seen as a disease, something that you don’t want, and try your best to get rid of … I’ve decided to embrace the weeds and combine them with a book about a girl with schizophrenia, a disease that even with medication cannot be contained forever. Just like weeds, there is beauty in the mental disorder, as long as you embrace it instead of trying to kill it.”
Tevin Araujo’s elegant photograph, “Entangled,” borders on abstraction, even as it remains rooted in this world. The greenery is reminiscent of the edible garnish chefs use to decorate their gourmet fare. Araujo explains, “‘Entangled’ captures a cluster of commonly grown weedy plants arranged in an interesting assortment, highlighting their often overlooked beauty. With the plants set up against the black background, it truly highlights the fine textures, diverse leaf shapes, and the delicate seedheads, showing off what is usually dismissed or unwanted by many.”
Weeds sprout out of model Hunter Broderick’s boots in Anina Garvin’s arresting photograph, “In His Shoes.” Garvin explains the important message underneath the amusing image: “When I was younger, I imagined the other flowers sitting around and laughing at the weeds, using the weeds as their punchline. I had always wished to be a flower with beautiful petals and vibrant shades. Now I realize I have always been in the same shoes as the weeds, my beauty hiding under the stereotypes placed upon me. ‘In His Shoes’ represents the effort it takes to step away from those stereotypes and truly see the beauty in the weeds. When stepping into the shoes of another, you open your eyes to a world you never knew.”
Clara Rabeni’s drawing, “Dancing Weeds,” is full of life. The wind blows each fuzzy, white pappus into the air, carrying a seed that will grow into the luminous yellow dandelion blooming in the lower right-hand corner. Rabeni encourages us to consider weeds in a different light. “Humans make it seem like they are the worst things to have in your garden or around your house, but in reality, they’re just a simple plant that grows where it wants, when it wants. Us humans typically don’t like them because we can’t control them. Next time you are complaining about weeds in your garden, try to find a different approach to the situation, and a different mindset about weeds. What really makes them so awful?”
Oscar Flanders’ photograph, “I’m Beautiful, Why Am I Unwanted?” brings us within millimeters of a budding dandelion, its narrow petals bursting inspirationally toward the sky. He writes about these humble blooms, “Dandelions are known to be a lawn wrecker or a disliked flower, even though dandelions are very beautiful and provide pollen. Dandelions are also edible. You can use their greens for salads, their flowers are for fritters or wine, and their roots can be roasted and used for a coffee substitute.”
Among the winners in poetry is Jacoby Harris’ poignant “Born of Tears.”
Every time you cry, a weed sprouts.
When tears are shed
all of your sadness,
all of your anger,
all of your pain and anguish
makes a little plant.
And stored in the leaves
is whatever made you cry.
So next time you see a weed
don’t treat it with disdain or disgust
thank the weed for making the world,
which is red with anger and hate,
A little more green.
The students’ art and poetry inspire us to think more broadly about weeds and the natural world, and to honor the island’s beauty in all its iterations.
“Beauty in the Weeds: The Art of Conservation 2025” is on view at the M.V. Film Center through June 15.
