Common Ancestors - Kali van der Merwe

Join us for Common Ancestors

A Collective Heritage

“Common Ancestors” is a journey through the eons, a celebration of the shared heritage that connects all living beings. By examining the evolutionary threads linking plants, animals, insects, rocks and humans, it challenges viewers to reconsider their place in the natural world and to appreciate the delicate balance of ecosystems which sustain life.

We can be reminded that our ancestors are not confined to the annals of human history but are written in the evolutionary DNA of every living organism.

The ancestor common to all placental mammals is a tiny, long nosed and tailed shrew alive 180 million years ago. Presently humans and mice share 85% of their DNA. We could call sea sponges, one of the very first animals, our great, great, great, great, great grandparents. We are all hybrids.

Opening Saturday 23 November 2024

Opening speaker: Dr Anina Lee – Whale Coast Conservation

Exhibition on until 23 February 2025