Somewhere in the forests close to Mougins in South of France a collection of land art sculptures are hidden like secret treasures in a remote landscape. The 20 or so site-specific temporary installations are part of the project A Year in a French Forest 2011-2012 by British artist Spencer Byles. "Their hidden quality is something that I feel is integral to this aspect of my work", Byles says. The temporary nature of the sculptures is another relevant aspect: "I feel my sculptures are only really completed when nature begins to take hold again and gradually weave its way back into the materials". The project is continually being documented on a blog with photos of the sculptures and the process of making them.
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| Wowen Frame, photo: Spencer Byles. |
This photo is from an earlier project in England. From an ikebana perspective I think this is one of Byles more interesting sculptures. It has a line and mass structure and a nice contrast in colour and texture. It also has movement and well defined areas of space, and the design is asymmetric. What else? This excursion into the forest is part of a study in land art and a search for a vocabulary. What qualities would you look for in ikebana related land art?