Neukom Vivarium

Neukom Vivarium by Mark Dion


This piece is an 80 ft long greenhouse containing a 60 ft long nurse log, which is a living installation. The tree is contained in a climate controlled 'incubator' and when viewed magnifying glasses are given out to view the decomposition and the life regenerating from the tree. I really like this idea of having an ever changing ecosystem growing away within the greenhouse and it never being the same from day to day.

Wakehurst Place

- Tunnels of live plants woven together which you could walk through.

- Combining the idea of inside and outside.

- Natural resources to create structures. 

I am still doing research into the formations of plants and cell structures through drawing and photographs, however my goal is to start building and making this coming week, and experimenting with materials. Currently I feel a bit out of touch with creating sculptures and installations, so I need to start thinking about materials and what would be good to work with. Ideally I would like to make enclosures, so the quantity of material is extremely important. Using natural materials such as wood or collected branches would keep a nice flow with the drawing research and the development into making.

This structure was at Kew gardens and to me resembled the framework of a cell of a plant, something I want to do further research into. I also liked the idea of blending the boundaries between inside and outside space.

Cactus

 

Kew gardens had a cacti green house, which I think was by far the most interesting for me, as the plants had amazing geometric formations and could visualize them as sculptures or buildings.The amount of varied textures was abundant. Strangely they looked really tactile but covered with spikes and thorns. Nevertheless something to think about.

KEW

Focusing on plant structures, shapes and formations. Want to steer clear of making "pretty flower" sketches.

Puppy

Jeff Koon, 1992.

486 x 486 x 256 inches. 

As I have decided to work with plants/plant structures within my work, I have looked at sculptors who have been using plants in their work. This isn't so relevant for my work as it is using live plants and is very kitsch, but I thought the idea of the foliage changing colour in different seasons, was a nice way of signifying time.

Serpentine Pavilion 2011

Over the summer I visited the new Serpentine pavilion by architect Peter Zumthor. The pavilion's design consists of tall, black stained wooden corridors wrapping around an enclosed central garden with an opening to the sky. A hortus conclusus. Zumthor designed the pavilion to put the emphasis  on "the role the senses and emotions play in our experience of architecture". Following on from last years ideas about senses,interaction and installation art, I thought the ideas and concepts of designing darkened corridors which lead into a green and light space, a sanctuary, were extremely interesting. I like how the design prompts an emotional response to the viewer and is definately something I would like to incorporate into my own work.

Links: http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/04/serpentine_pavillion_zumthor.html