Artists See Grass In A New Light
Grass may not be an obvious medium for art but it certainly inspires artists Ackroyd and Harvey whose works have been exhibited worldwide to much acclaim.
Their stunning pieces of photographic images grown on a grass canvas add a haunting, ethereal quality to their subjects. And whether on display in major galleries or in an old schoolhouse on a near deserted island – as at Ireland’s Tulca Festival last year – they certainly make an impact.
Their next work is a project for Derry-Londonderry, City of Culture 2013, which will be revealed in the spring. Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey are taking part in ‘Artists Gardens’, one of three artistic installations of bespoke gardens within houses, on rooftops, in subterranean sites and on local landmarks.
To ensure their ‘living art’ has longevity they use AberNile perennial ryegrass from British Seed Houses for its ability to maintain its green colour even when dried.
The couple is particularly interested in natural processes and examining the way things happen in nature. It was the light sensitivity of chlorophyll in plants which inspired their approach and using the principle of blocking light to create shapes.
They take a photograph of a subject and project the negative through a projector on to a wall of growing grass. They do not use soil, the blades of grass are hydroponically grown or in a sticky clay base. Warmth and water ensure the seedlings grow, yet where light falls the grass will create green tonal change from very dark green to lime green; where no light falls the grass is yellow.
Heather and Dan explained: “We dry the art pieces to preserve them. With the stay green qualities of our chosen seed it means it won’t lose its green colour as it is dying. Using AberNile gives the work more longevity. We have had pieces on show in San Francisco for years, shown in low light levels to protect them.
“We do not always feature portraits but we are certainly drawn to them because there is something profound about having a living person in this living medium. And with large scale pieces we can have incredibly detailed images.”
Richard Brown, British Seed Houses Amenity Sales Manager, said: “We have been involved with Ackroyd and Harvey for many years and admire and are amazed at what they do. We’re not surprised that AberNile, with its ability to maintain a dark green colour, has proved such a success.
“Its qualities are such that we have included it in our new bespoke seed mixture, AberSustain, which is aimed at professional landscape gardeners and architects who do not want to compromise on quality or on the ecological impact for their projects.
“It is ideal for use on a range of landscaping projects from hard wearing lawns in parks to cutting edge, ecological builds across our cities. It is one of the most versatile mixtures available.”
AberSustain contains 100% Aber® varieties bred at IBERS (The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences) in Aberystwyth, where British Seed Houses funds the UK’s largest grass and clover seed breeding programme.
The mixture is a unique blend of UK bred varieties for UK conditions exclusive to British Seed Houses. It is attractive, drought tolerant and offers benefits for bees and pollinators and is suitable for a wide range of mowing regimes.