Susan Eder: Common Names (Drawings)


COMMON NAMES of natural specimens — whether animal, plant, mineral or fungus — can range from vivid description to abstract allusion. Some refer to appearance, habitat or behavior; others evoke intangible qualities, archetypes or mythical figures.

In detailed DRAWINGS recalling Age of Discovery nature illustrations, the “Common Names” series explores the metaphors that unite very unlike things into new groupings and associations. Whether logical or puzzling, these metaphors expand our experience of both nature and language.