Habitat Beginnings

Our current module focuses on the theme of Habitat, and we have been asked to produce a piece of work inspired by this to feature in the Saltaire Arts Trail in May 2023.

To give us background and inspiration, we visited Saltaire in January 2023 to see Salts Mill, the private allotment site, and the Old Wash House Garden - the latter being the site for our art works.

I love how nature slowly encroaches onto, into, and through man-made structures, and the allotment, in particular, had plenty of evidence of this: moss and algae covers almost all wooden surfaces, metals are rusting, old bathtubs are full of life of all kinds, and plants overgrow them all.

I like the fact that the old furniture has taken on a new lease of life in the allotment, and not just been thrown away once no longer needed in someone's home. It feeds into my interest in re-using as much as possible for as long as possible.

I was intrigued by how different elements became layered up with these objects. The varnish on the wooden furniture has long since worn off, revealing bare wood, which in places is covered with moss or algae. There were layers of decaying leaves that had fallen and become part of a mulch on the sagging table top. Added to this are the brambles and other plants that are winding their way around and through the objects. The wood is splitting in places, revealing newer sections bit by bit, that will be come habitat for yet more life, before they finally decay. At some point bits will rot and fall off, or the table may slowly collapse, and then the fungus and microscopic life will take their turn at a new habitat.

At this point, I was absorbing everything I saw, taking lots of photographs, and letting all the images and feelings sink in - it can take me some time for everything to percolate long enough before I begin to think how I can interpret my experiences.

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