今日も家にかえる。
I look at a photo of a pink, abundant lilac tree in full bloom that I took while I was in Poland last May. It was not the beauty of the tree or the pinks and violets of the lilac flowers that grabbed my attention that evening, but its aroma. Sweet, evocative and alluring smell that in that moment transported me back to my home in Poland; to the moments of joy, love, and caring, as well as growing up, separations, and sadness. The full spectrum of emotions entangled me completely, all because of the smell that I had almost forgotten existed while living abroad for 10 years. The experience was mighty, almost transcendent, I could feel it in my body. This sensitive contact with a plant reawakened forgotten knowledge, wisdom, it allowed me to self-integrate.
I realized it would be a grueling task trying to recount all those plants that played such an important role in my life, and created an intimate relation not only between me and the plant, but also with the world around. Through some of them I built certain type of bond with my mother who, possibly unconsciously, was expressing her love to me through the plants - endless seat baths with goldenrod for urinary tract infections, aromatic, herbal inhalations for me and my brother when we caught coughs and allergies, elderberry for infections and for colds, salvia tea for stomach aches. I can not neglect matthiola longipetala that to this very day my mother plants on her balcony in summer. This meager, famished flower during the day, tempts and seduces at night with its mighty aroma. It will forever remind me of those evenings spent with my mum on her balcony, when we talked with a cup of chamomile tea in our hands.
Nowadays, I myself bring matthiola longipetala seeds from Poland and plant them every summer in my balcony so that I can feel HOME.
Curated by Naoki Nakatani
Kobo Chika Gallery, Tokyo
Photo credit: Maciej Komorowski