A Matter of Thyme

Revisiting Polish folk lore, Julia Pätzold surveys herbal knowledge. Looking past culinary or botanical qualities, she regards how plants employed for female bodily autonomy came to be considered weeds. At the project’s core is a ceramic steam distillation system developed in cooperation with the EKWC Oisterwijk. This interactive ‘Thyme machine’ demonstrates how freshly harvested herbs are converted and concentrated into essential oils and hydrolates. In light of the restrictive reproductive rights currently in Poland, and the historical use and ingestion of herbs in dealing with these issues, A Matter of Thyme facilitates the ongoing transmission of knowledge traditionally shared orally across generations.