Herbalism, biochemical sensing (speculative), cultural commentary
~ Annika von Grey
Phytochemical Apothecary is an attempt at medicinal reclamation, an offering of tools and information to empower others to explore their bodily and environmental ecologies. The cookbook bridges cooking and chemistry, reintroducing readers to their local environments as spaces of abundance. The phyto-sensing mortar and pestle brings at-home herbalism into a future-ized space, allowing ancestral healing practices to contend with the fortified and, at times, abusive pharmaceutical industry.
This cookbook is a blueprint for herbalist remedies, allowing individuals to access health-relief without cost. Every remedy offered can be made in just a few steps, and the cookbook adopts a learn-as-you-go method. Prior knowledge is not necessary, and the book takes readers on a path of exploration that is both guided and readily open for expansion.
The project is motivated by a speculatively designed biochemical sensing mortar and pestle. This mortar and pestle can sense a variety of phytochemical which aid in healing. When phytochemicals are present, the name of the chemical or compound flashes on a small screen. This tool enables herbalists to see in real time the healing properties present in their remedies. The tool can also inform foraging expeditions. Ideally, users can harvest a variety of plants from their gardens and local spaces, grind up the plants in their mortar and pestle, and identify a wealth of wonderful healing species which previously went unnoticed. Even if the tool doesn’t find healing compounds in the foraged matter, the user will have begun a newly attentive conversation with their surroundings.
Bio – Annika von Grey
Annika von Grey will graduate from NYU December 2020 after three years of studying the intersection of environment, economy, and psychology. She works within climate risk management, looking towards fully realized environmental justice.