Another World Than This
Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent UK
2022
Installation 4m x 4m x 4m
A site specific suspended installation in the Oast House roundel inspired by the evident love between the garden’s creators Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson, and their love for the natural world. The piece borrowed its name from a line in one of Vita’s poem called ‘Spring’.
As the wind vane on the oast’s roof cowl moved with the breeze, light inside the roundel varied at each moment, bathing the space in a bright glow or plunging into shadow where visitors observe nature’s ever changing detail.
The intricate 3D embroidery was created entirely from waste, including post-consumer waste, offcuts of sustainable bridal silks, oceanic ghost-gear and retired laboratory ware. Holding natural materials collected from the world famous gardens and surrounding landscapes, the sculpture responded to seasonal change in the gardens through its content, which endured severe drought during the lifetime of the exhibition.
Commissioned by National Trust Sissinghurst Castle Gardens
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Image credit Tessa Bunney
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Image credit Tessa Bunney
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Photograph © National Trust Images/Andrew Butler
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Image Credit Tessa Bunney
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Image Credit Tessa Bunney
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Image Credit Tessa Bunney
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How fair the flowers unaware
that do not know what beauty is!
Fair, without knowing they are fair,
With poets and gazelles they share
Another world than this.
They can but die, and not betray
As friends or love betray the heart.
The can but live their pretty day
And do no worse than simply play
Their brief sufficient part.
They cannot break the heart, as friend
Or love may split our trust for ever.
We never ask them to pretend;
Death is a clean sufficient end
For flower, friend or lover.