Indirect Signs of Presence at Wytham Woods
Curated by Sara Lowe for University of Oxford’s Wytham Woods, Indirect Signs of Presence is a programme of newly commissioned artwork and events, which aims to connect audiences with the convergence of artistic practice and scientific research.
For ‘Beneath the Surface’ we were comissioned alongside basketmaker Greet Blom to design and construct spheres to represent pollen grains, by artist Hermeet Gill who was inspired by the 10,000-year pollen history preserved in Wytham’s Marley Fen. This suspended work displays 58 pollen archetypes.
Woven in locally harvested willow, dogwood and hazel, the installation will remain in-situ for at least one year to observe it gradually changing throughout the seasons.
Photographed by Keith Barnes Photography
'Beneath The Surface' an installation of willow and hazel spheres representing pollen architypes, installed between statuesque beech trees
Prototype designs and work in progress
Different sphere designs by Greet Blom, Charlotte Holmes and Andy Goodwin
Spheres were constructed in willow, hazel and dogwood from material sourced in the woods and Marley Fen
Testing a hazel sphere
An assembly of spheres prior to installation
The spheres are hung high in the canopy
