In the Middle Ages healers followed what was known as the Doctrine of Signatures in order to understand the medicinal properties of plants. Still studied today, it was based on the idea that the healing wisdom of a plant – formed over thousands of years in relationship to its environment – is contained in its form and can be read through the poetics of metaphor and image perception. Hunt found a resonance between this ancient practice and her own painting process.

Stories and images associated with plants and their healing properties led to the development of a new visual language explored in the paintings in this exhibition. Hunt’s visual references include historical narratives, children’s books, medieval paintings, and everyday things found in her studio. Emerging out of the call-and-response relationship between imagination and the material world, images come to stillness by finding their form.

The artist gratefully acknowledges the generous support from the Canada Council for the Arts.