‘Vegetative’ usually brings to mind decay and passiveness. But vegetal matter is, in fact, a source of existence, sustenance, peace, beauty, care, strength and hope.

Roo(u)ting is a conceptual and artistic methodology proposed by artist and writer Anushka Nair that brings together the agency of matter to form subjectivities and relations that are a combination of past identities and the ability to navigate new routes of relations that emerge from exchanges and transformations in the present, allowing for new subjectivities to form. It looks at artistic ways to cultivate caring, fluid, embodied and ethical relations through performance art to create better futures. This book explores the methodology particularly in the context of plant life, encouraging an embodied, thinking without the head, form of co-existence. On closer inspection, plants and humans have more in common than you might think.

Roo(u)ting offers a unique perspective on connecting with plants, moving beyond traditional human-centric thinking. When plants connect in rhizomatic networks, they participate in a lively exchange of energy and information. Roo(u)ting mirrors this process to foster deep, symbiotic relationships with the natural world.

This method promotes a compassionate and intuitive interaction with all forms of life, ultimately leading to a harmonious coexistence.