Featuring 4 planters in the back stairway and roof of SI, Welcome Weeds hosts edible and medicinal plants commonly found growing wild in the surrounding neighborhood. Thriving in overlooked or in-between spaces of the city, in cracks and vacant lots, these plants, which are often referred to as weeds, possess remarkable adaptive and protective qualities. By inviting them indoors, where they will be cared for and maintained by the institution, Orlow celebrates their resilience and draws attention to their often-overlooked healing powers. Additionally, Welcome Weeds honors the legacy of community gardens in the East Village and the fertile history and vibrant networks they cultivate within the urban environment. The project also pays tribute to the pioneering NYCbased artists who have repurposed liminal urban spaces with vegetal interventions that foster ecological awareness including Agnes Denes, Cecilia Vicuña, Becky Howland, Gordon Matta-Clark, Linda Goode Bryant, and many others. Visitors are invited to take some leaves from the planters for their own use and consumption.