Hosted across the new purpose-built spaces at OmVed Gardens in North London, Vivienne Schadinsky’s solo exhibition ‘Into the seeds of time‘ offers a unique portrait of beans’ rich diversity and overlooked benefits.
As part of her residency at Omved Gardens, Schadinsky set out to explore the intersections of food, ecology and community through a plant that has been cultivated by humans for thousands of years. The result is an invitation to step into the artist’s unique expression, connecting her art with ecological insights from scientific advisors, the results of a series of growing tests carried out at OmVed and in her own studio, and her long standing fascination with Japanese culture and crafts.
“This residency offered me a unique space to explore the intersections of food, ecology and community through a plant that has been cultivated by humans for thousands of years. Beans, with their rich diversity and role in human health and sustainable agriculture, became my focus for understanding resilience and finding new ways how I connect with the earth,” explains Schandinsky.
Schadinsky’s work is rooted in the belief of the transformative power of nature, culture and art to encourage social behavioural change. A contemporary and environmental artist, her inspiration lies in nature and her work addresses ecological concerns, reflecting on the loss of biodiversity, plant ability to thrive in extreme weather, food security, clean air, fresh water and healthy soil.
The work embodies the principles of Japanese ink and natural pigment paintings, printmaking, sculpture, plant installations and film making. Her primary medium is Japanese Sumi-e, which allows her to create works with fine monochrome values and to experiment with the evanescent quality in contrast to the dense black and tonal values. In June 2024 she won the Encouragement Award from the International Sumi-e Association for her Japanese style ink paintings of Adzuki Beans in Tokyo, Japan.
Combining films, sculptures and Japanese ink paintings, Schadinsky’s solo ‘Into the Seeds of Time’ exhibition highlights the connection between her art with the art of growing, seed saving, eating, preserving and documenting. Focusing on the life cycle of three varieties grown at OmVed; the Puy Lentil, the Gaia Soy Bean and the Essex Pea Bean, Schadinsky reflects on their relationship with soil, air, water and fire.
“Observing how beans enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen brought home the concept of interdependence, underscoring how plants can teach us about sustainable living. This also reshaped my perspective on community resilience: just as beans flourish through cooperation with other plants, so too do communities thrive when rooted in shared efforts and mutual support,” added Schadinsky.
The close observation and documentation of the growth of these bean varieties has been influenced by the Japanese 72 micro-seasons and the art of sumi-e. The Japanese 72 micro-seasons, known as “Shichijūni-kō” (七十二候), represent a traditional way of dividing the year into more precise seasonal intervals than the commonly known four seasons. These micro-seasons each last about five days and are based on the lunar calendar, reflecting subtle changes in nature and agricultural activities.
This influence of Japanese culture in Schadinsky’s approach to art making is also present in her signature ink wash paintings, characterised by the use of simple brushstrokes, minimal composition, and emphasis on capturing the essence or spirit of nature rather than detailed appearance. The Japanese craft of hikaru dorodango is also present in the exhibition as Schadinsky pays homage to the importance of soil health with a series of mud spheres.
The Vivienne Schadinsky ‘Into the seeds time’ exhibition runs from the 31st of May – 3rd of August 2025.
