PROTEAN ROUTES by Brent Dahl & Hanno van Zyl
presentation by Dwaalstêr Editions (Brent Dahl & Hanno van Zyl) at 6.30pm
Thursday July 17, 6pm
From the floral kingdom of the Western Cape to the flower kiosks of Amsterdam, Protean Routes traces the journey of the protea flower through the intertwined networks of land, labour, symbolism and trade. Part editorial design project, part critical reflection on botanical commodification, the book brings together new photography by Jabulani Dhlamini and Jansen van Staden, alongside essays by Pamila Gupta, Evie Evans, Rupert Koopman and David Bek. Through both visual and textual contributions from South African and European voices, it explores how a single flower can speak to broader questions of colonial legacy, environmental impact and cultural memory.
Protean Routes is conceived not only as a publication but also as a platform for open collaboration and inquiry. Grounded in design, it brings together voices across disciplines to explore the symbolic and material entanglements of the protea and its trade. Each phase of the project, from research to production, has been shaped by shared learning and dialogue.
Edited and published by Amsterdam-based Dwaalstêr Editions, the project reflects the perspective of its South African founders, Brent Dahl and Hanno van Zyl. Their self-reflexive approach to authorship and design foregrounds the complexity embedded in everyday objects and systems.
