Plants
of current interest Plants
of current interest
Art in the Garden 2006 (the seventh year at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens), in partnership with Underground Art + Design, is now established as one of the most exciting exhibitions of contemporary craft and sculpture in the UK. Over 150 pieces of art and design from new and established artists were given the opportunity to show their work to a new audience in a beautiful outdoor setting within the 180 acre Gardens.
The exhibition ran from 27 May until 29 Oct and featured a range of local, British and international artists – many who had recently shown work at major design events such as the Chelsea Flower Show and the Grand Designs Live exhibition. The artists work in many materials, both traditional and contemporary, which include glass, stone, plastics, stainless steel and wood Many artists work with an environmental agenda and use recycled and found objects within their creations.
Inspiration for the work exhibited has evolved from many areas; the beauty of the natural world was shown through Paul Coxs blue ceramic butterflies hovering in the long grass by the pond bringing colour and movement to the landscape (back by popular demand in 2007!), to human emotion as shown in the work 'Falling in Love by the internationally renowned artist Mackenzie Thorpe and the landscape as seen in Julie Taylors patterned ceramic hills.
There were also some familiar names to the exhibition such as Michael Turner and Steve Blaylock with stainless steel bugs and birds, and David McDiarmids cardboard and resin characters that provide an element of humour and nostalgia which always raise a smile. (David will return in June 2007 to create a large piece with our visitors can help him construct!) Also exhibiting were furniture designers and makers such as Martin Howard, James Noble and Martin Young inspired by the contemporary move to outdoor living.
We are delighted that Southampton Saab has once again provided support for the development of the regions art by sponsoring Art In The Garden 2006 and the Artist in Residence who worked at the Gardens in July and August 2006. Laura Ellen Bacon created a site-specific piece using willow and other coppiced material and wove her organic creations onto and around one of our oak trees thus intertwining her art into her chosen setting. Her work is ephemeral and will gradually decay back into the landscape that inspired it. You can still see her work in the oak field, which should remain standing until 2008 -09! (Follow the slope down the vista and the large oak tree is halfway down to your right).
Visitors were invited to join her and help to complete the final stage of her creation so we were pleased that so many of you enjoyed having 'a part in art'!.
Ian John, dealer principal of Southampton Saab, said: 'Art in the Garden is an important event for the region and Lauras project is a fantastic way for people to get involved and to directly contribute to a piece of art designed for the whole community to enjoy. We at Southampton Saab are proud to offer our support to the exhibition – it is thanks to initiatives like Art in the Garden that the city of Southampton and its surrounding area are able to maintain their thriving artistic culture. We look forward to exciting new art in 2007'
The dealership hosts an annual celebratory gala evening at the exhibition, allowing invited guests the opportunity to take a closer look at the collection whilst taking a leisurely stroll around the impressive 180-acre gardens. On these evenings, Southampton Saab will be showcasing some of the latest models from the Saab collection within the grounds.
The Art in the Garden project is organised and managed by Underground Art and Design on behalf of all participating artists. Southampton Saab and Hampshire County Council co-fund the event along with the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens who provides the unique venue.
Elizabeth Hodgson, director and curator of Underground Art and Design said: 'I am so glad to once again have Southampton Saab onboard for this years Art in the Garden and that their support has enabled us to bring an exciting new talent to the exhibition – something we could not achieve without this kind of support. Most artists provide work for the exhibition with the hope of making a sale. A residency needs to be paid for and this can only happen if we find open-minded members of the local commercial world to support them.'
Download Art in the Garden 2006 leaflet Pdf. 512k