Flora by Betty Lau

• Opening event: Tuesday 9 June 2026, 5-9pm
• Artist talk: Tuesday 16 June 2026
• Opening times: Weekdays 10am-4pm, Saturdays 10am-3pm

Working across oil on canvas or panel, watercolour on paper and artist’s books, the artist draws inspiration from the Herbarium collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where preserved plant specimens inform both the visual language and conceptual framework of the exhibition. The works investigate themes of preservation, temporality, observation, whilst balancing scientific reference with expressive mark-making and colour.

By reinterpreting archival botanical species through painting, Flora considers how nature is collected, recorded, and remembered. Rooted within botanical imagery, the paintings move beyond observation into a more expressive and joyful space, embracing spontaneity, humour, and ornamentation. Through bold compositions and layered colour, the works celebrate the uplifting qualities of floral forms.

About the Artist

Betty Lau is a London-based artist who uses colour, composition, pattern and layering to create intricate works on paper, artist’s books, canvas, or other materials inspired by natural forms. Using subtly abstracted shapes, Betty Lau’s work explores the line between real and imagined floral motifs.

Born in Hong Kong, Betty holds a BA (Administrative Management) from the University of South Australia in 2003 and a BA (Fine Art) from RMIT University in 2020. In 2022, she completed her MA Fine Art from UCA, Farnham. She has shown in numerous group exhibitions in the U.K. and Hong Kong.

For more information about the artist, Betty Lau:

• Instagram
• Website

We would like to thank University for the Creative Arts, Research Office for supporting Black Box Project Space series through Knowledge Exchange funding this year.