In May 2014, the Phytology Project at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, on Middleton Street, brought Vhils' subtractive practice into an environment dedicated to the relationship between ecology, medicine and urban biodiversity. The work engaged with a site where scientific research, horticulture and artistic experimentation converge. Carved into a plastered wall alongside botanical and chemical illustrations, the portrait established a dialogue between the human figure and the systems of knowledge through which plants have shaped health and culture. The intervention expanded the conceptual scope of Scratching the Surface, demonstrating that the layered histories embedded in walls extend beyond the social and architectural to encompass ecological and scientific narratives. The site is an active community garden and research space.