The Language of Flowers

Jacob Johnson

In Victorian England, the giving and receiving of flowers served as messages, if a 'tussie-mussie' was pinned to the heart, that would be an unambiguous declaration of love. The Language of Flowers explores the use of this to express secretive desires, such as gender fluidity and queerness. This became a form of rebellious defiance to Victorian society, a symbol of the non-conforming. The visuals of the project are based on the personal connections and deeper struggles of the LGBTQ+ within society—both contemporary and Victorian.