\u201cWe\u2019re really interested in this notion of nonhuman aliveness,\u201d Jeyifous said in a statement. \u201cSo, this is a collaboration not just with each other but also with the plants, soil, and environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The exhibit takes inspiration from cultural beliefs and traditions and from BBG\u2019s habitats. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Weine\/BBG<\/p>\n
Inspired by beliefs long held by Indigenous communities and the African and Latinx diasporas, the exhibit also takes cues from BBG\u2019s \u201cmicro-ecosystems\u201d especially its native plantings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSerpentine Specter,\u201d a tall, colorful piece made of bioderived fibers and colored glass, sits in the Native Flora Garden. That garden, filled with native plants and designed to mimic the natural habitats that once covered the city, including a bog, a meadow and pine barrens. \u201cSerpentine Specter\u201d references those habitats, their inherent adaptability and sustainability, and the specialized life forms who call them home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the Elizabeth Scholtz Woodland Garden, \u201cSonic Strands\u201d comprises hanging curtains strung with sea beans, cowrie shells, recycled glass, and other \u201chistorically potent objects\u201d from the African and Latinx diasporas and the Indigenous people of Brooklyn.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u2018Sonic Strands\u2019 comprises hanging \u201ccurtains\u201d strung with beads, shells and other objects. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Weine\/BBG<\/p>\n
The strands were created in part by BBG visitors during a special event, and make noise when they flutter in the wind or vibrate, reflecting \u201cthe histories of movement and cultural continuity in Brooklyn as a collective of artistic voices.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nearby, \u201cAnimist Capsules,\u201d a series of earthen sculptures studded with colorful tile and other cultural objects, are covered with moss and fungi. The sculptures are meant to invite and extend the ecological process of decomposition, according to the artist, and frame it as a source of continual renewal, rather than an end.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The final piece, \u201cEarthen Tiles,\u201d the subsoil usually buried deep up to the surface in the form of handmade tiles, revaluing soil-based construction common in some parts of the world but uncommon in the West.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"animist](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/55281232593_Animist_Capsules_2._Photo_by_Jeremy_Weine_.jpg\")
\u201cAnimist Capsules\u201d explore decomposition as a source of renewal. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Weine\/BBG ![\"earthen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/55280892499_Earthen_Tiles._Photo_by_Jeremy_Weine_.jpg\")
\u201cEarthen Tiles,\u201d the fourth installation in \u201cAncestral Ecologies.\u201d Photo courtesy of Jeremy Weine\/BBG<\/p>\n
\u201cAncestral Ecologies\u201d is the first exhibition from BBG\u2019s new Heidi Nitze Art x Environmental Fellowship, and Jeyifous and AD-WO are the inaugural fellows. The team worked closely with BBG staff and outside experts to design and create the exhibit, even working alongside participants of the Garden\u2019s annual Greenest Block<\/a> contest to incorporate the garden practices of diaspora communities in Brooklyn.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBrooklyn Botanic Garden is proud to serve as a dynamic incubator for innovative work that blends artistic practice, scientific discovery, and pressing environmental issues,\u201d said Sonal Bhatt, VP of education and interpretation at BBG. \u201cThis fellowship supports thought-provoking collaborations that will spark meaningful connections for visitors about the wonder and power of plants and the natural world. We are profoundly grateful to the Heidi Nitze Foundation for their visionary partnership in realizing this transformative program at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.\u201d<\/p>\n