Exhibitions, United Kingdom, London, 10 July 2012
Curator: David Worthington
Press Release
The biggest exhibition in the history of London’s oldest botanic garden..… A major outdoor sculpture show opens on 10 July at Chelsea Physic Garden. The exhibition, a collaboration between Art Happens and Chelsea Physic Garden, presents monumental sculptural works, ephemeral land art projects and delicate interventions by over twenty leading artists.
Curated by David Worthington, Vice President of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, Pertaining to Things Natural… takes its name from the 17th century definition of ‘physic’ and is a reminder of the Physic Garden’s founding mission as a place for the study of useful plants especially those used in medicines.
Artists: Owen Bullett, James Capper, Annie Cattrell, Jo Coupe, Joe Currie, Judith Dean, Chris Drury,
Tessa Farmer, James P Graham, Greyworld, Tim Knowles, Tania Kovats, Keith Rand, Peter Randall-Page,
William Peers, Michael Shaw, Ward & Wright, Julian Wild, Hugo Wilson and David Worthington.
Pertaining to Things Natural... offers a compelling insight into contemporary creativity inspired by the natural world. Whether or not the works are a specific response to the Garden, the artists’ proposals share the desire to use the exhibition as an opportunity to add to the environmental debate, offering fresh ideas to maintain the momentum of change. The exhibition comes at a key moment in the environmental debate when
activism and argument have been replaced instead by a growing sense of resignation to the inevitability of environmental degradation. The facts become more apparent daily but the arguments have already been spelt out and if the public no longer listen, then neither will the politicians. Radical new solutions are needed.
In response the exhibition will also see a parallel research programme, organised by Art Happens, Eden Lab and The Eden Project, which sets out to consider opportunities for presenting and dealing with environmental issues through contemporary art practice.
Artists change society at a visceral and elemental level. They achieve change by engaging our senses and spreading new ideas as suggestions rather than demands. The current objective of the ecology movement is to change lifestyles and by building an aesthetic that embodies a sound environmental perspective, artists have the potential to provide a channel to communicate at a deeper level than through polemic. The one day conference, Artistic Strategies for the Environment, will consider ways artists contribute to social and
environmental change, looking at existing projects and offering fresh, meaningful ideas.
Press Release
The biggest exhibition in the history of London’s oldest botanic garden..… A major outdoor sculpture show opens on 10 July at Chelsea Physic Garden. The exhibition, a collaboration between Art Happens and Chelsea Physic Garden, presents monumental sculptural works, ephemeral land art projects and delicate interventions by over twenty leading artists.
Curated by David Worthington, Vice President of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, Pertaining to Things Natural… takes its name from the 17th century definition of ‘physic’ and is a reminder of the Physic Garden’s founding mission as a place for the study of useful plants especially those used in medicines.
Artists: Owen Bullett, James Capper, Annie Cattrell, Jo Coupe, Joe Currie, Judith Dean, Chris Drury,
Tessa Farmer, James P Graham, Greyworld, Tim Knowles, Tania Kovats, Keith Rand, Peter Randall-Page,
William Peers, Michael Shaw, Ward & Wright, Julian Wild, Hugo Wilson and David Worthington.
Pertaining to Things Natural... offers a compelling insight into contemporary creativity inspired by the natural world. Whether or not the works are a specific response to the Garden, the artists’ proposals share the desire to use the exhibition as an opportunity to add to the environmental debate, offering fresh ideas to maintain the momentum of change. The exhibition comes at a key moment in the environmental debate when
activism and argument have been replaced instead by a growing sense of resignation to the inevitability of environmental degradation. The facts become more apparent daily but the arguments have already been spelt out and if the public no longer listen, then neither will the politicians. Radical new solutions are needed.
In response the exhibition will also see a parallel research programme, organised by Art Happens, Eden Lab and The Eden Project, which sets out to consider opportunities for presenting and dealing with environmental issues through contemporary art practice.
Artists change society at a visceral and elemental level. They achieve change by engaging our senses and spreading new ideas as suggestions rather than demands. The current objective of the ecology movement is to change lifestyles and by building an aesthetic that embodies a sound environmental perspective, artists have the potential to provide a channel to communicate at a deeper level than through polemic. The one day conference, Artistic Strategies for the Environment, will consider ways artists contribute to social and
environmental change, looking at existing projects and offering fresh, meaningful ideas.
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