Field Guide: Future Edition - Artist & Curator Q&A
Join us for a special Q&A exploring where art and science intersect, with artist-in-residence Sam Parsons and Natural History Curator Rachel Jennings.
Join Artist-in-residence Sam Parsons and Natural History Curator Rachel Jennings for a thought-provoking conversation inspired by Field Guide: Future Edition.
Inspired by Sam’s exhibition, they will explore the stories behind the museum’s collections, the role of natural history in contemporary art, and how archives, specimens and our dioramas can spark new ways of thinking about our relationship with nature.
Guided by Sarah, the conversation will uncover the connections between artistic practice, scientific understanding and museum collections, offering unique insights from two very different perspectives. There will also be an opportunity for audience questions.
Whether you’re interested in art, nature, science or museums, this engaging discussion promises fresh ideas and thought-provoking conversation.
Tickets are £10 per person and includes:
- Admission to the museum and Field Guide – Future Edition
- A complimentary drink on arrival
- A live audience Q&A session
Advance booking is recommended as places are limited.
About the Exhibition
As humans, we often separate ourselves from the rest of the natural world, but Field Guide – Future Edition invites us to reconsider that relationship.
Inspired by many plants and animals in our dioramas, artist Sam Parsons intuitively explores the canvas much like discovering a new habitat. His paintings evolve through multiple layers, to become entangled, immersive views with no fixed timeline. Old garments and scrap fabrics emulate organic forms, whilst fleeting glimpses of the animals move through the room.
The exhibition will also feature an immersive soundscape inspired by recordings captured in Quex Gardens by our Community Gardener Rosie Carr, together with ceramic artist Julia Ellen Lancaster and participants from the Sunshine Project groups.
About Sam Parsons
Sam Parsons is a painter from Whitstable, Kent. His practice draws on a background in zoology, experience in conservation and a 20-year career as a fashion designer. These influences shape both the research and materials behind his work.
Through painting and mixed media, Sam’s work challenges the viewer’s perspective on humanity’s place within nature. His practice explores the more-than-human world, engaging with ideas of nonhuman agency, environmental ethics and ecological storytelling.
He received the Harold Tillman Scholarship to study an MA in Womenswear at the London College of Fashion. During this time, experiments with textiles led to a shift from fashion into fine art.
Sam has since developed his practice through mentorship programmes including the London Creative Network, Artquest’s Eco Activism Salon and Beyond Studio. Recent exhibitions include shows at the Nunnery Gallery, London Art Fair, and The Pie Factory.
Find out more via his website: www.samparsons.com
Growing up locally, I visited the Powell-Cotton Museum many times as a child, which helped foster my fascination with nature. Having now studied zoology and become an artist, it is exciting to return and interpret the scene with a fresh perspective — one that learns from natural history to champion a more natural future.
Sam Parsons
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