We are really excited to announce that ‘The Rea Garden Artist in Residence Programme’ has begun. Over the next twelve months four artists will have the opportunity to spend three months each at The Rea Garden creating artworks in response to the site.
The first artist in residence is Hannah Hull. Hannah is a public artist, curator and project manager, who will be spending time the garden researching the site and making works in response to her findings. Hannah will begin her time at The Rea Garden from Friday 11th September and will be on site along with myself and Paul each Friday during her residency. The site will be open to the public on Fridays from 11am – 4pm each week.
For more information on Hannah Hull’s artworks go to http://www.hannahhull.co.uk
The Secret Garden finished in June 2008, over the summer the undergrowth has begun to take the space back as its own, the budlea has started to come back, this time its flowering after being cut back. There are wild flowers growing which never had a chance before due to the canopy of unmanaged budlea blocking out any light. there are even tomato plants growing from the seeds dropped from sandwiches we ate during our time there – the place is beginning to look like a garden.
We have decided to continue working in the space, and are hoping to reside there for a further 18months. Where I documented the clearing of the space for The Secret Garden project I am now interested in documenting the return of nature.
The space – now named The Rea Garden is now expected to be divided into two areas, firstly the ‘garden’ area which was cleared and housed the shipping containers for The Secret Garden is now to be a space to host artist led projects. Myself and Paul hope to invite a range of artists to the site to become artists in residence. Its hoped that the first artists to spend time in the space are Alex Lockett and Ian England who will be spending 12 months down at the garden from January 2009. As well as Alex and Ian there will be further residencies taking place from May 2009. As well as these residencies we hope to have a range of smaller projects taking place.
The second part of The Rea Garden is the ‘dome’ area. Leon is building a geodesic dome within the currently uncleared area. The dome will be an area for the research into 360 degree film as well as many other things….
digbeth view from top container
Originally uploaded by Leon Chromatouch
this will be the container used as a huge lightbox. you can see the 50 bus route from here and hopefully vice versa.
perspective render
Originally uploaded by Leon Chromatouch
early render of the proposed shipping container layout that seems to work practically and logistically
