Bewitched (2022)

Rowan tree was considered blessed in Scotland. People planted it in front of their houses for good luck, and made crosses and hoops out of its branches to protect themselves from witchcraft. Cutting it was taboo. Yet, in his treatise Daemonologie (1597) King James VI of Scotland (James I of England) pondered whether superstitious “commonlie daft wives […] knitting Rowan trees” were themselves practising witchery. Years later his treatise turned into a manual for finding and dealing with practitioners of “unlawful arts.”

The series was inspired by the research of the UK’s 16-18th century witch-hunt archives. Many of the accused “witches” were midwifes and “wise women” well-versed in herbal remedies. The images depict common British plants, some “blessed” or “cursed”, captured as composites of handprinted silver gelatin photographs and photograms, The latter are allegories for false beliefs and convictions, which were planted in people’s minds and led to institutionalised prosecution of anyone who didn’t fit in.