Under the guise of protecting “national heritage”, far-right politics campaigning against the presence of non-indigenous ethnic minorities and immigration has seen a significant rise since the beginning of 2025. As a first generation immigrant, British on documents but unfitting of the ethnocentric “British” characteristics laid out by right-wing groups, I have been struggling in coming to terms with my identity and belonging in an increasingly immigrant hostile climate.

I took hanji-a traditional korean paper made from mulberry tree fibres-as a material to explore. Originally intending to link hanji to my own heritage, I came across the story of the mulberry tree’s significance in London. Although first introduced by the Romans as a foodsource, the mulberry tree established itself in the British Isles in the 17th Century. Wanting to start a domestic raw silk industry, King James I ordered the importation and planting of thousands of mulberry trees. To his disappointment, the plans never took off as the majority of mulberries planted were of a variety that is not optimal for silkworm rearing. Despite failure, the trees became celebrated and established into British history and culture, far beyond its intended purpose as a mere tool for economic gain.

In this project, I find solace in the mulberries' resilience and aim to challenge this narrative of belonging and worth based on economic value by narrating the story of my own family’s settlement to the UK. Through the lens of weeds and non-native species plants, I explore what it takes for a “species” to belong on foreign soil. The triptych follows key moments of integration that my family experienced since settling in the UK twenty years ago. Using cyanotype techniques, the images have been exposed onto handmade paper produced from the pulp of mulberry trees and “invasive” vines using traditional Korean paper making methods. The wooden frames have been stained and sealed with ink produced from Mulberry fruit and tannins extracted from mulberry bark