Marc Newton
Feb. 28 - Mar. 25, 2022
 

Marc's exhibition is a series of photographs highlighting the palm tree and exotic plant industry in Homestead, Florida, as well as the community of people who cultivate them. The land once submerged within the Everglades wetland is one of the only subtropical zones in the continental United States. Homestead’s unique geographic region south of Miami is home to over 100 exotic plant nurseries that range from small family owned nurseries to robust multi-national corporations including Costa Farms, whose plants are distributed worldwide at Home Depot, Lowes, CVS, IKEA, as well as many other wholesalers and private retailers. 

Having roots in biblical ideology the palm tree is a timeless symbol of warmth, peace, and tranquility. With this in mind, I explore its junction with consumerism and colonialism. Within this suburban landscape of cultural diversity, intoxicating aromas, ambient reggaetón and murals of tropical places, I confront my gaze of the palm as a white, native New Yorker. The photographs of these nurseries serve to celebrate the culture of plant cultivation with its endless physical beauty, but also confronts for me, a tangible interpretation of paradise.