'Heart of Reeds' (2004)
Chris Drury is an environmental artist who works in landscapes all over the world. His work seeks to make connections between different disciplines and he has worked with many different scientists. With the Heart of Reeds, he worked closely with ecologists, biologists and entomologists. The form the work takes varies enormously from large works outside to photoworks, installations and film. Each work is strongly connected to place and landscape.
He talks about the influence of the Downs on his art:
Q. Could you describe the key aspects of the influence of the Downs on your work?
A. I make art about places and Landscape, I do this all over the world, but the Downs are my place, I know them intimately, I walk in them constantly and they mean a lot to me. When I look at other places, even extreme places like Antarctica, I always compare them to the South Downs.
'Covered Tumulus' (1997)
Q. Which of your works do you feel best communicates your personal experience of this landscape?
A. Really they all do, but the works I have made with the Tumuli and Dew ponds say a lot about this landscape as they are so visible now, but a tumulus is thousands of years old and the Dew Ponds have been used in farming for the same length of time. So they talk of what is here and now but also of history and past land use.
Q. Is there a particular area of the Downs that has provided inspiration for your work?
A. I love the Seven Sisters and the Cuckmere, but also the Downs around my hometown of Lewes – Mount Caburn and Black Cap.
'Spiral Dew Pond' turf cut and moved with a spade (1997)
For more information on Chris Drury’s work (external links):
'Heart of Reeds website’ can be seen in Lewes, East Sussex
‘Fingermaze‘ can be seen in Hove, West Sussex
‘Reed Chamber’ can be seen in Arundel, West Sussex
www.chrisdrury.co.uk
www.chrisdrury.blogspot.com
