Natural Progression:
from studio to the Garden

June 12th, 2008 fay

Behind the scenes, Susie Brown has been working with 600 pieces of black bamboo which arrived on her doorstep after a long journey from China. Some pieces are more than two metres, too big to manhandle along corridors and up stairs to her studio. So, as she describes in her blog, “Natural Progression is being constructed in the shared drying green out the back of my little flat.”

“To the great distress of my neighbour Audrey, I will be dipping (the bamboo that is) and sawing for the next three weeks. This will make for a very unsafe place for clean washing…”

9.30 am Tuesday 10 July. The moment of truth. Susie and Simon Kirby deliver the bamboo (now dipped and tipped with glowing colour) through the building site at the West Gate. It’s cold but at least it’s not raining. Friends come and go, helping to sort bamboo poles into lots of 100 beneath the trees of the Lower Birch Lawn. RBGE’s Martyn Dickson arrives with two formidable looking metal rods to make sure the bamboo goes firmly and securely into the ground. Rosie Lewis brings a pass to let Susie get a good sustaining lunch in the staff canteen.

5.30pm Wednesday 11 July. A watchful crow struts between the flowing line of bamboo. Susie has designed the sculpture after discussions with the dancers, Anne-Marie Culhane and Chang Zhang who will weave between the clusters symbolising death and rebirth during the live performance of Dialogues of Wind and Bamboo on midsummer night. With help from more friends and Garden staff (”They have been really lovely, so helpful”), Natural Progression is very nearly finished. Passing visitors stop to admire it along with the crow.

4.00pm Thursday 12 June, a night of heavy rain leaves the bamboo unmoved. Susie puts finishing touches of paint to coloured tips. She chose the colours after discussion with dancers Anne-Marie and Chang Zhang who will weave flowing fabrics through the poles but by happy accident the yellow matches candelabra primula in the borders. The curving line emulates the natural growth pattern of bamboo in the wild. Curator David Knott jokes that he will bring his skis for slalom practice. At least, we think he is joking.

10am Saturday. Natural Progression has passed the Health and Safety test and is now open to the public until Sunday 29 June. Please come and enjoy it with us.

Special thanks to Garden staff: David Knott, Tony Garne, Phil Ashby and Martyn Dickson!

Entry Filed under: Behind the scenes, Latest News