Titled Little Fennel’s Complaint, the exhibition by Olivia Plender will be on display at Modern Art Oxford from May 23 to August 16.
It draws on themes ranging from early modern witch trials to contemporary debates on reproductive rights.
The London-born artist developed the show through research with the Bodleian Library, Oxford Botanic Garden, and the John Radcliffe Hospital.
The exhibition features embroidered textiles, watercolours, drawings, mobiles, and sound works.
It begins with a display inspired by contemporary hospital architectures and waiting rooms.
She examines how women’s healthcare has been recorded, classified, and practised over time, tracing shifting approaches to medicine and diagnosis.
Historical perspectives include Bringing Down the Flowers, a series of watercolours in the style of genteel 19th-century flower paintings of plants historically used to induce abortion.