{"product_id":"protean-routes","title":"Protean Routes","description":"\u003cp\u003eProtean Routes is a research-driven design and publishing project that explores the commodification and trade of\u003cbr\u003ethe Protea — South Africa’s national flower — as a lens through which to examine deeper questions around\u003cbr\u003ecolonial legacies, ecological justice, and cultural identity.\u003cbr\u003eNow commonly sold at flower stalls across Amsterdam and preserved in institutional collections like the Hortus\u003cbr\u003eBotanicus, the Protea’s presence in the Netherlands tells a complex story of extraction, symbolism, and global\u003cbr\u003etrade. Through this flower, Protean Routes interrogates how colonial histories persist in everyday objects, and how\u003cbr\u003edesign can serve as a critical tool for unpacking these entanglements\u003cbr\u003eThe project centres around a printed publication combining documentary photography, essays, and visual\u003cbr\u003estorytelling. Contributions from artists and theorists based in South Africa, and the Netherlands, trace the flower’s\u003cbr\u003ejourney from its indigenous habitat to its commercial life in Europe. These perspectives reveal layered insights into\u003cbr\u003eownership, cultural exchange, environmental impact, and ongoing systems of inequality.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jabulani Dhlamini \u0026 Jansen van Staden","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46588951953562,"sku":"12491","price":1150.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0350\/5704\/1545\/files\/PR_Spreads_Cover.jpg?v=1758786989","url":"https:\/\/store.a4arts.org\/en-gb\/products\/protean-routes","provider":"A4 Arts Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}