|
I love visiting Kew Gardens and went along to have a look at a new exhibition by contemporary artist Marc Quinn which looks at the relationship between people and plants. Building on his interest in nature and the human experience, Quinn’s Light into Life exhibition showcases sculptures in the gardens as well as in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. Click on any image to enlarge Designed to offer moments of thoughtful reflection and interaction throughout the gardens, the exhibition examines our complex relationship with the natural world and represents one of the largest site-specific art projects at Kew to date. Working with specialists from fields including plant diversity, Quinn has created pieces based on significant plants from the Kew collections. Amongst these is a large-scale series of sculptures based on herbarium specimens of plants which have inspired drug discovery, including the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), a source of drugs used for pain relief. These abstract sculptures not only tell the vital story of our reliance on the natural world for therapeutic treatments, but also emphasise the constructive quality of humanity’s complicated relationship with nature. This theme is further reflected in Held by Desire; a large bronze bonsai sculpture taking centre stage in the Temperate House, the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse. Known the world over as the art of growing dwarf trees and shrubs, bonsai plants are kept at a consistently small size through careful pruning - perhaps the most painstaking manipulation of nature for aesthetic purposes.  all the images here are (c) Gilly Pickup Celebrating the garden's 175-year-old Palm House, Quinn's series of sculptural portraits of palm leaves are based on the Bismarck (Bismarckia nobilis) and Sabal (Sabal palmetto) Palms from within the glasshouse. The artworks are emblematic manifestations of our relationship with trees and their role in the shelter, food and fabric of daily survival for billions of people. Created in polished stainless steel, the mirroring reminds us of the role of light in the creation of plants and all living things. Also in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, a new exhibition in Gallery Six features botanical paintings co-curated by Dr Sherwood and Marc Quinn, alongside a selection of Quinn's drawings. These works reflect the plants inspiring the artworks integral to Light into Life, with orchids, lilies, bonsai and coconut palms.  Marc Quinn says: "As humans we are not isolated from our environments; we interact and exist within them as a part of nature. Collaborating with Kew, a world-class centre of botanical research, and its team of scientists and horticulturists, has underlined how integral the natural world is to my practice. The complex science of plants has always-and continues to-inspire my thinking as an artist. ." Accompanying books will be published by Kew Publishing. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is dedicated to harnessing the power of plants and fungi to end the extinction crisis and secure a future for all life on Earth. With Kew’s world-leading research, global partnerships and beloved gardens – home to the world’s most diverse collections of plants and fungi – Kew is using its trusted voice to shape policy and practice worldwide. As a charity Kew relies on visitors' support, not only to sustain the gardens, but to protect global plant and fungal biodiversity for the benefit of our planet. Exhibition admission included in a ticket to Kew Gardens. Pre-booking online offers best value visit.  Kew Gardens orchid festival is back and it's better than ever! Inspired by Cameroon's beauty and bio-diversity, this colourful celebration is sure to brighten up the winter months and it is the first time that this festival, the 27th! has been inspired by an African nation. Cameroon is home to an incredible number of orchid species, some are so rare that their locations are kept secret. From lush rainforests and volcanic mountains to deserts, Cameroon's huge variety of plants and wildlife are supported by varied habitats, reflected across the ten climatic zones within the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew. A lot of work went into the displays for the Orchid festival, they took three weeks to create, each one assembled by a team of around 100 volunteers and 12 horticultural staff. The festival runs from 4 February to 5 March, 2023 and also features an array of sculptured animals inspired by the wildlife of Cameroon. There's a larger then life lion, giraffes, hippos and gorillas. When purchasing a ticket to Kew Gardens, entry to Orchids in included. For best value tickets, book in advance at kew.org. Tickets for Orchids After Hours should be booked in advance.
Photos (c) Kew Gardens & Gilly Pickup |
