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Dystopian Garden Sculpture

I am an art student, in my final year at Goldsmiths University of London. 

I am trying to create a conceptual sculpture based on dystopian ideas, using horticultural methods and materials.    I need help in my research as to what plants, help to destroy an eco-system.  Within the eco-sculpture there will be a mound of moss, and buckwheat grass. A dead tree, a pond filled with water ferns (which I am aware take the oxygen out of the water, allowing nothing else to thrive in it - if I can somehow find some.)     I am incorporating into the sculpture some plants that I overwatered.    Any advice would be extremely helpful. 
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  • Hi Sorcha - a couple of artists/gardeners here image

    Not sure about the dead tree - dead trees create their own very rich eco-systems providing habitats and nutrition for invertebrates.....  of course, while a dead tree is a frequently-used trope when addressing dystopia, I believe that dystopia can be a very subjective concept .......

    but it's all a interesting idea - a couple of things come to mind ...

    Consider using peat-based potting compost - the harvesting of the peat is destroying habitat-rich peat bogs in northern Europe.

    Have a look at the history of the 'rock garden' in the UK -  http://www.limestone-pavements.org.uk/gardeners.html .  The need for rock to make rock gardens has in the past caused irrevocable damage to ancient wate-rworn limestone pavements which are one of the world's finest and most endangered habitats. 

    Himalayan Balsam (an introduced species) is now causing real damage to riverbanks causing flooding and erosion http://www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/species/himalayan-balsam

    Rhododendrons spreading throughout woodland prevent anything else from growing underneath or around them.  There are organised programmes taking place nowadays by the National Trust and others to remove them. 

    Hope that helps - let us know how it goes image

     

     

     


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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  • Invicta2Invicta2 Posts: 663

    Include a piece of perfect turf. Golf courses are one of the most eco poor habitats in the country.

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Just to disagree with you Edd. Cancer is not a fungi, it is an overgrowth of normal animal cells. It may be caused by fungal spores, fern spores, viruses, or other vegetable or mineral carcinogens such as tobacco or blue asbestos.

  • Art isn't simply/just about beauty - it's about the communication of ideas image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Is it?

    http://www.elgreco.net/laocoon.jsp

     

    Anyway, beauty and ugliness are historically-bound concepts, changing across cultures and across time.

    image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    The ancient chinese practice of binding feet to make them tiny comes to mind. They thought it beautiful, I think it abhorrent.

    I am of the opinion that a lot of the silly prices paid for modern art today is often a case of the emperor's new clothes. To me, a pile of bricks is potentially functional, not art.

  • Some of the very high prices paid for contemporary art nowadays are purely financial investments.    Time will tell ..............

     

    As for Carl André's bricks etc - the way I think of it is this - a poem in Chinese has meaning to those who understand the language - to me its meaning is unfathomable as I don't understand Chinese.

    Just as the spoken word has many languages, the world of visual art has many languages - few people are educated to understand them and so find work in that language unfathomable.

    It's not elitist to say that - it's just the way things are.

    If you're really interested in understanding Chinese poetry then you'll learn the language.

    If you really want to understand contemporary art you'll do something to educate yourself about it.

    So many people think that because they can see something they should be able to understand it.  They wouldn't say that about science - why say it about art?


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Absolutely Jo image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • GWRSGWRS Posts: 8,478

    Hello all , well to be honest I had to look the word dyosipan up 

    Well it is certainly a different take on gardening and wish the young lady all the best , it would be good if she put the final results on the thread 

    as as been said every body looks at these differently , personally try and keep an open mind image

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