For Safekeeping was a solo exhibition presented at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. Bringing together sculpture, installation and wall-based works, the exhibition explored themes of pollination, plant life, collecting and environmental stewardship through a series of botanical and insect-inspired artworks.
The exhibition included early works from The Collector series, displayed within glass cabinets and traditional domes, alongside Forget-me-not, Townsend’s first collaborative work with Scott McArt. Created using beeswax contaminated by agricultural pesticides, the sculpture reflected upon the fragile relationship between pollinators, human intervention and ecological health.
Displayed throughout the gallery were large etched metal studies of pollinating insects, extending the exhibition’s focus on the often-overlooked species that support plant life and biodiversity. Together, the works considered the value of preservation, the vulnerability of natural systems and the responsibility of safeguarding the living world for future generations.
Presented within the setting of the National Botanic Garden of Wales, For Safekeeping marked an important stage in the development of Townsend’s practice, establishing themes of botany, collecting and environmental awareness that continue to inform her work today.
