EDMUND THORNE 1809 - 1883) Edmund Thorne was a nineteenth-century British naturalistic and botanical illustrator known for his in-depth study of marine life during the 19th century. Born in England, Thorne nurtured an interest in marine life from an early age. Despite being a self-taught illustrator, his work held appeal for both academics and divers, enhancing the scientific comprehension of marine life. He spent much of his career developing and perfecting immersion technology to advance the study of underwater ecosystems. His most noteworthy discoveries were made during his research along Australian coastlines. He discovered new, seen-before species of corals, meticulously documenting the in his illustrations. His detailed records offered the first comprehensive study about the Thornea Stellata, a specific coral species he named after himself. UNSEEN FLORA Part of the wider Artificial Botany (2019) series, Unseen Flora (2023) shines a spotlight on the fantastical and surreal botanical illustrations created by four British scientists and artists: Charlotte Bancroft, Beatrice Hastings, Edmund Thorne and Theodore Winslow. The series has as its focus the concept of truth, contextualised in the contemporary digital age where the boundaries between real and virtual seem to become more and more obscure. Unseen Flora wants to explore unreal but plausible histories through the visual depictions of the four illustrators, offering us an unprecedented glimpse into their imaginary botanical dimensions.

Founded in 2007, fuse* is a multidisciplinary art studio that investigates the expressive possibilities of emerging technologies, aiming to interpret the complexity of human, social and natural phenomena. Since its origins, the studio’s research has had as its primary objective the creation of multimedia installations and performances, produced with the goal of exploring the boundaries between different disciplines in pursuit of new connections between light, space, sound and movement.

fuse* private collection