Imagine Wild is a new body of work by Addy Gardner. The work is primarily mixed media paintings and drawings however, also included in this exhibition are sculptural works and photographs of native wildflowers by Selly Gardner. The collection evokes both a sense of our strong emotional and physical connections with nature and the wild, as well as a sense of the methods by which we ‘other’ it; both destroying and polluting it for material gain.
The aim of this exhibition is to raise awareness about the plight of biodiversity in the UK and the human impact on nature, focusing on rewilding as a means by which to return and revive our natural wild spaces. The show is the creative work inspired by visits to The Knepp Rewilding Project in Surrey, some of which was completed at Gardner’s residency at Wilcote Art.
The works bear witness to the importance of the wildness of nature in our imaginations and psyches. Each piece conveys a sense of the magic, adventure and the feeling of being ‘at one’ with the world that nature provides, synonymous with being ‘in the zone’ whilst working creatively. This exhibition represents a newfound feeling of freedom Gardner has felt as both an artist and a human being through her experience and learning about rewilding.
Exhibition Opening
Thu 15 February 2024 6-8pm
Please join us to welcome in this new exhibition.
Free event / no booking required
Nurturing Wild Places and Creative Lives
Sun 25 February 2024 2.30 – 4pm
A talk by Addy Gardner about the exhibition followed by Addy Gardner and Camilla Burrow in Conversation
Addy will start at 2.30pm with a talk about the exhibition and her interests in cultivating both a wilder environment and a wilder art practice.
At 3pm there will be an informal discussion about the importance of wild spaces and what we can do to nurture them. Taking part in the discussion will be Addy Gardner and Camilla Burrow, CEO of Wild Oxfordshire. Wild Oxfordshire focuses on the preservation of wild spaces in our environment.
Free event / book here
Special Sunday Openings
25 February & 3 March 2024 12-4pm
Free event / no booking required
