A contemporary look at a 16th-century herbal
The Centre Cultural La Nau presents Botànica Domèstica / Herbario Nuovo, an exhibition that reinterprets the tradition of herbals from a gender perspective. The project, created by the artistic duo Las Mitocondria—comprising artist María Ángeles Vila Tortosa and choreographer Alicia Herrero Simón—takes as its starting point Herbario Nuovo (1585) by Castore Durante, a botanical treatise preserved in the Biblioteca Històrica de la Universitat de València. This book, which compiles illustrations and medicinal properties of plants, serves to explore how such knowledge has been transmitted, particularly that associated with women and the domestic sphere.
Plants as bearers of memory
The exhibition unfolds in the Sala Oberta and the claustro of La Nau, where the works of María Ángeles Vila Tortosa transform plants into vehicles of experiences, memories, and intergenerational narratives. Through artistic and choreographic installations, the project challenges knowledge hierarchies and highlights healing practices that have historically been marginalised in official narratives.
Practical information
The exhibition opened on 14 September 2026 and will run until 22 November. Admission is free and no booking is required. For opening times and further details, check the La Nau venue page.
