The book launch celebrates the publication of The Commons: Re-enchanting the World at the South London Botanical Institute on Saturday 2 July 2022, from 5pm – 7pm. Designed by Kristen Fraser, the publication documents The Commons: Re-Enchanting the World curated by Catherine Morland and Amanda Couch that took place at The Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL), University of Reading, from January 2020 – April 2022. The book features colour images of the work and installations of artists, Kelechi Anucha and Carl Gent, Sam Wallman, Sigrid Holmwood, Catherine Morland and Amanda Couch, with texts written by the artists contextualising their response to the Commons and the work’s relationship to The MERL collections. The book also features introductory texts by the curators, an essay tour of the gallery installations by the curator of MERL Collections, Ollie Douglas, an essay by Sigrid Holmwood as well as documentation of the events, workshops and other relationships that formed part of the project.

During the event, there will be introductions to the publication by Catherine and Amanda and short readings from the publication, which will also be available to purchase. To accompany the launch, we are pleased to invite Elki Guillen, gardener, researcher and former chef from Mexico, who will share how to grow, care for, and eat cacti! He will be offering us tastes of his seasonal local crop of raw and cooked cacti combined with colourful sauces and tortillas. In Mexico, the use of Opuntias or Nopalli goes back thousands of years. Through Elki’s knowledge, we will get to experience this taste sensation like the Mexicans, Mayans, Teotihuacans, and Toltecs did a long ago.

Arrival: 5pm

5.15pm: Publication launch and intros by Catherine and Amanda

6pm: Elki Guillen: Cooking and Eating Cacti

The Commons: Re-enchanting the World is generously funded by Arts Council England, University for the Creative Arts and Swedish Arts Grants Committee.