THE FAMILY OF 'MARK TOBEY' FROM ORIGIN GEORGE GESSERT 39 photographs mounted on museum board with text Origin is a breeding project involving streptocarpuses, a genus of plants grown for their ornamental flowers. This project, which was begun in 1995, is now in its 8th generation, and has produced tens of thousands of hybrids, of which more than 1,800 have been documented. The Family of 'Mark Tobey' consists of 39 of the documented hybrids, and spans 6 generations. The 39 hybrids are interrelated. Siblings are grouped together. Each hybrid is identified with a number. Hybrid number 1028 has been registered with the American Gloxinia and Gesneriad Society as 'Mark Tobey.' It is the only named plant in this group. Mark Tobey (1890-1976) was an American painter whose work helped span the divide between China and the West. Biography George Gessert was born in 1944 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. His first exposure to art was through his father's collection of Chinese and Japanese art. Later he was drawn to abstract expressionism, minimalism, and earth art. He studied English literature and painting at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Interest in materials-focused, self-organizing painting led to experiments with plant breeding. Since 1985 his work has explored the overlap of art and genetics. USA

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