Site specific sculpture commissioned by Wakehurst in 2017 as part of the Wild Wood Festival. Situated in Pearcelands Wood, their newly-opened ancient woodland.
The horizontal oak branch (from which hazel poles are suspended) fell in the great storm of 1987. The branch was earmarked to be cut down prior to the woodland being opened to visitors for the first time this year, 30 years on. Fortunately, I got to it before that happened. The piece stands 6 metres high, and is constructed from oak and hazel, which I cut by hand from the site, a mature working hazel coppice.
The installation is an archway which creates a portal into the woods. It draws the viewer’s eyes to the spaces in between: between the hanging poles, between the oak trees; between branches, and also to the space above the arch.
The positioning and curvature of the arch invite the eye to continue the line, giving the overall impression of a circular tunnel.
The piece has been described as having a subtlety and a strong clarity. Its apparent simplicity and its congruence with the surroundings mean that coming across it in the woods engenders a sense of wonderment.
The installation is orientated north-south, so that the rising sun streams through the poles, while the setting sun casts dancing shadows across them, cast by the surrounding foliage.
The colour and texture of the hazel poles contrast with the rougher texture of the two mighty oaks. The naturally occurring growth twists of the hazel poles give a visual rhythm that’s in contrast to the cleanly-cut curved line of the arch.
Intended as an ephemeral work, the piece remained in situ for several years, being finally taken down in 2023.
Pearcelands Wood is a mature hazel coppice of about 20 acres. It has many beautiful standard trees and has been managed as a coppice for about 200 years. It is still a working coppice today.
