A new exhibition in Taipei is drawing on weeds and plant growth to challenge fixed ideas about national borders, migration, and belonging. “Weeds Don’t Obey,” which opened last weekend at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA), features works by five artists and runs through September 20.

Curator Christina Chen (陳斯吟) told Rti at a showcase on Thursday, July 16, that the exhibition was partly inspired by her experience studying in the Netherlands, where she saw how national policies affected whether people could remain in a country.

“Every country seems to be raising its immigration threshold, as though it is building the wall higher and higher and not letting you in,” Chen said. “So I wondered: Is this boundary fixed?”

Chen said weeds can be viewed as a positive symbol of overlooked forms of life that continue to emerge despite attempts to erase them. They may represent artists, creators, or any form of life that is not highly regarded, she said.

One installation, "Hidden Terrains" by Hong Kong artist Wing Po So (蘇詠寶), is inspired by rhizomes, which spread underground without a single center and can produce new growth from any node. Chen said the installation piece, which incorporates pipes and sound, also reflects Hong Kong’s political situation, where information circulates “in places you cannot see.”

“These things are happening underground, yet they remain full of strength and life,” she said.