Painting Places

A few weeks ago a friend of mine, artist Caroline Underwood, asked me if I could send her five photographs of my favourite place in nature. To be used in her new participatory project, this is an open invitation to anyone who might produce imagery.

This is difficult request, as I’ve taken photographs of so many beautiful places around the world. But after some thought, I felt it had to be somewhere I visit on a regular basis. I’ve always lived in a city, and apart from a year in Bristol, that city has been London. I suppose some kind of urban retreat was inevitable, and the pin was pushed into Bankside, the grounds around Tate Modern.

I’m not sure what draws me here as, to be honest, it’s not particularly attractive. It may be just a good place to reflect on the works seen in the galleries – I spend ages here, reading my latest purchases. Despite the crowds, there’s always a peaceful corner.

So a few photos. Not five. Caroline can edit these! Taken in around 20 minutes this afternoon, I shot quickly to capture one reaction. On a different day, I’m sure they would be different. But this is today.

 

Silver Birch Trees, Tate ModernSilver Birch Trees, Tate ModernSilver Birch Trees, Tate ModernSilver Birch Trees, Tate Modern

Silver Birch Trees, Tate Modern

Silver Birch Trees, Tate Modern

 

 

 

Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Milano

In February I recieved an email inviting me to submit a photograph to an exhibition. Photographers get these all the time, and as many are from commercial operations, I very nearly didn’t give it the time of day. But as one of my images, 43 Gardeners’ Hands, had already been selected, it caught my eye. I read the small print and after a couple of emails with the organizers from Orticola di Lombardia, it turned out to be a genuine and very well planned show entitled ‘Small Garden’ in the Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Milano. It is part of an annual show called ‘Orticola’, which is staged every May in Milan in the public gardens in the Via Palestro.

The curator was Iaia Gagliani, who  selected botanical work from 20 photographers worldwide. Nikki de Gruchy was the only other British photographer involved, so it was a great priviledge to take part.

In the end two different images of mine were actually exhibited in the show itself, though others appear in the presentation slide show (see below).

The show runs from 9th to 20th May 2012 at: Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Milano – Via Palestro 16 – Milano

 

Tulips
Tulips

 

The full list of participants:

Rita ANTONIOLI (Italia)
Cristina ARCHINTO (Italia)
Andrea BOYER (Italia)
Paul DEBOIS (Gran Bretagna)
Nikki de GRUCHY (Gran Bretagna)
Beth DOW (USA)
Gianluca GIANNONE (Italia)
Juan Marin GOMEZ (Spagna)
Patrick GONZALES (Francia)
Gavino IDILI (Italia)
Hengki KOENTJORO (Indonesia)
Alexei KRASNIKOV (Russia)
Uwe LANGMANN (Germania)
Laura MAJOLINO (Italia)
Malena MAZZA (Italia)
Beth MOON (USA)
Stefano ORAZZINI (Italia)
Jeroen OOSTERHOF (Olanda)
OSSIANE (Francia)
Jib PETER (Francia)
Federica RONCALDIER (Italia)
Marcin SACHA (Polonia)

Gardeners’ Hands

In December 2008 I started a project which evolved into set of images called 43 Gardeners’ Hands. This was exhibited at Kew through the summer of 2009. Four more photographs were taken just after the exhibition deadline, and as a result were never exhibited. So, clockwise from top left: Dan Hinckley, Tim Richardson, Rosemary Alexander and Will Giles.

Gardeners' hands, Dan Hinckley, Rosemary Alexander, Tim Richardson, Will Giles

Gardeners' hands, clockwise from top left: Dan Hinckley, Tim Richardson, Rosemary Alexander and Will Giles

Land Girls

With the impending GMG event on Wednesday, I am putting up five more portraits from the Land Girls series this week. In no particular order, Maddy Harland, editor of Permaculture and advocate of greener living – Juliet Roberts, editor of Gardens Illustrated –  Lia Leendertz, journalist, author and blogger – Anne Wareham, AKA the Bad Tempered Gardener,  journalist and author –  Alys Fowler, presenter, journalist, author and advocate of greener living.

 

Juliet Roberts

Juliet Roberts

 

Lia Leendertz

Lia Leendertz

 

Anne Wareham

Anne Wareham

 

Alys Fowler

Alys Fowler

Maddy Harland

Maddy Harland

 

Waterlillies

Earlier in the year I visited the Monet Gardens at Giverny to photograph the waterlillies. Prior to the shoot, I was asked to make some test shots for a few ideas I had, and these are the results. Shot at my local, Kew, the ideas weren’t adopted in the end, but a few days ago I finally made some high res scans.

I love using square format. Unfortunately most art directors worry when you mention it. To fit a page, a crop is almost inevitable, making its use irrelevant.  And why shoot a beautful garden in black and white? The area around the lake at Giverny is green. And then there is a lot more green, which is not surprising really, as it’s largely a  woodland type planting. There are occasional splashes of colour, but I wanted to capture the tonality. My darkroom instincts come to the fore in these situations!

Colour was eventually decided on and I shot some lovely graphic images – once these have been published next spring, I’ll post these too. And waterlillies – they’re absolute devils. If they decide to open, it’s a long wait. I timed one and it took 2 hours and 15 minutes. I’d normally have better things to do than standing around with a stop watch, but when you are planning a ferry trip home, it was essential. But worth the wait!

water lilies at Kew Gardens

water lilies at Kew Gardens

water lilies at Kew Gardens

water lilies at Kew Gardens

water lilies at Kew Gardens

water lilies at Kew Gardens

roots in glasshouse at Kew Gardens

roots in glasshouse at Kew Gardens