Sorely visible: plants, roots, and national identity

Abstract

Societal Impact StatementHistorical and visual culture research methods can be used to identify the complex symbolism assigned to plants in public urban spaces. This symbolism can divide opinion and generate heated debate on what is considered to be native, other, and culturally and aesthetically appropriate. This article is a contribution to the emerging field of critical plant studies, examining events in Italy when exotic plants were installed in a public square. The work encompasses elements of environmental, anthropological, architectural, and art historical studies, to reveal important aspects of our relationship with plants, other people, and our past and future histories. Summary The last few years have been characterized by dramatic sociocultural events: from Brexit to Trump's election in the USA; the unthinkable has manifested itself as the index of insidious and undervalued ideological networks. Despite the bleak outlook, the deep sense of moral loss, and ethical disorientation, these events could function as an opportunity to productively think beyond the fictitious righteousness of postmodern politics. In the middle of a cold night, in February 2017, Starbucks Coffee Co., in collaboration with Italian architect Marco Bay, installed a grove of palm and banana trees opposite Milan's much‐loved gothic cathedral. Public opinion instantly split. Milan's rude awakening revealed a tale of two cities: on one side were those who lauded the initiative and on the opposite were those who condemned the trees’ exotic origin as unrepresentative of true Italianicity. Against the backdrop of strained relationships between Italy and the European Union, due to the handling of North‐African and Middle‐Eastern diasporas, palms and bananas have found themselves at the center of an unexpectedly acrimonious public discussion. This article considers the role played by plant‐politics and architectural aesthetics in constructing national identity and otherness while tapping into all important and often concealed aspects of contemporary society's collective unconscious.