Haldon Pre-Opening Activities

Some work was made by local artists during Nine Days of Art in the forest but, because work by the Forestry Commission (FC) to create new cycle and walking trails was also taking place, three of these residencies took place in the grounds of Haldon Belvedere over the summer of 2005. These involved artists that were connected with Yatoo – the Korean nature art group I had visited in the previous year.

Work made during Nine Days of Art 2005. Photos Clive Adams and Chris Lewis.

Works made at Haldon Belvedere

The most substantial work to be created was made from a 18ft Beech limb by Korean artist Seung-hyun Ko, based on a traditional musical instrument called a Kayagum. Ko’s Kayagum was made and displayed on a spectacular location overlooking Exeter and was demonstrated by myself on Sundays when the Belvedere was open to the public. A young visitor discovered for the first time that sounds were being transmitted through the wood itself. This work was transferred to a site adjacent to our Project Space in 2007.

In addition to the Kayagum, a bower was also made at the Belvedere by Yatoo curator Anke Mellin and another work by Ben Taffinder, a recent graduate from Falmouth School of Art who had previously participated in a Yatoo residency in Korea.

Works made by Seung-hyun Ko, Anke Mellin and Ben Taffinder at the Belvedere. Photos Chris Lewis.

Dave Pritchard installation in Haldon Forest

Dendros (from the Greek for ‘tree’) – Horizons of Change was an installation created along one of the forest trails by conservationist and artist Dave Pritchard (a future Trustee) which explored timescales of environmental change, as viewed through our relationship with trees. The project was accompanied by a publication (available from Clive Adams) and organised in association with Research in Art, Nature and Environment (RANE) at University College Falmouth. It was intended to remain until the work biodegraded.

One of the trees in the Dendros installation. Photos CCANW.

Tabatha Andrews residency in Haldon Forest

Tabatha Andrews was a sculptor and installation artist who created immersive experiences and she was previously artist-in-residence at Gloucester Cathedral. She undertook a three week residency with a workshop session in Haldon Forest in March and this culminated in installing a large root ball in the Project Space during 18/19 March.

Tabatha Andrews workshop session. Photo CCANW.

Robert Kilvington commission in Haldon Forest

The FC asked us to suggest an artist to make a timber bench at a viewpoint overlooking Mamhead. From a shortlist of four, the artist chosen was Robert Kilvington from Barnstaple who made a spectacular eight metre long curving bench out of oak. The photograph shows artist Alan Sonfist and writer John K. Grande on the bench.