A series of works inspired by my visit to The Estorick Collection in March and an exhibition of concrete poetry by Ian Hamilton Finlay, Dom Sylvester Houédard and others – Breaking Lines.
Made during April, May and early June 2025 in order to both enable a creative practice whilst incapacitated by a hip replacement recovery and to fill an A5 sketchbook in any way I wanted to! An idea nurtured in Hatherleigh, Devon spread to Manchester this year and the resultant sketchbooks were be exhibited in both locations – north/south, urban/rural – in July.
I made four series of eight works each. My first series is a personal response to complications following my operation. The second features Spring and the third a Guardiann or Observer headline from each day. The final series a perhaps a bit closer to the concrete poetry in the exhibition.
Hip & Bladder
Spring
Today’s Headline
My third series reflects on ecologically related stories in The Guardian and The Observer.
“Over 100 hectares of [virgin] vegetation have been cleared for two roads…”
The Guardian 26th April 2025
“The rosy apple aphid feeds on the sap of apple trees and has the power to decimate crops…predators such as ladybirds, hoverwings and lacewings [are attracted by wildflowers] can reduce damage from the rosy apple tree aphid by 32%. Everyone wants to buy the perfect apple…that’s got to be the way forward.”
The Observer 27th April 2025
“Tens of millions of people across the Iberian Peninsula were plunged into a huge power blackout, leaving them without trains, metros, traffic lights, cash machines, phone connections and internet access…caused by extreme temperature variations in Spain.”
The Guardian 29th April 2025
“The long-term decline in flying insects being splattered on cars during a journey is well recognised by older drivers…This huge decrease in splats over such a short time [2021 to 2024] is really alarming.”
The Guardian 30th April 2025
“…furious Labour politicians warned he had given a boost to Tory and Reform climate sceptics…Climate experts accused the former prime minister of granting political cover to fossil fuel interests and weakening momentum behind…target to reach net zero by 2025. Tony Blair Institute…[has] well documented links to petrostates and oil and gas companies…”
The Guardian 1st May 2025
“Nine London based banks…are involved in financing companies responsible for at least 117 carbon bomb projects in 25 countries…[with] the potential to produce 420bn tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to more than 10 years of current global carbon emissions.”
The Guardian 2nd May 2025
“…many of the mediterranean vegetables have come weeks earlier than expected…The extremes of weather, made more acute by climate breakdown are catching farmers by surprise…Kew Gardens has noted a glut of berries coming up early…The real challenge lies in the erratic weather extremes – sudden frosts, hailstones, droughts…”
The Guardian 3rd May 2025
“Paraquat was banned for use in the UK in 2007, but Syngenta is still permitted to make the weedkiller in Huddersfield for export.
The Observer 4th May 2025
Concrete Poetry
