Ruderals of Venice is a project undertaken by Pati Starzykowski, artist and researcher, as part of the fellowship with the British Council at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. Growing among historic buildings and in the margins, this counter‑map showcases ruderal plants met in May 2025 during the artist’s stochastic dérive.
The plants are assigned three categories: ruderal foods (edible weeds that once sustained the poor), ruderal goods (fibres, dyes, and folk remedies), and ruderal weapons (allergens, toxins, or roots that quietly undermine stonework). They are juxtaposed with sensorial zones. Each plant becomes a small archive of survival, resistance, and unexpected value. The map also traces each plant’s time of arrival in the lagoon, revealing their deep entanglement with colonial trade routes and the movement of goods, people, and empires.