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Roots

The Vinery, Luton Hoo Walled Garden.

September 2010

During her residency at the Luton Hoo Walled Garden in 2010, Spendlove conducted research into the History of the Gardens, with a particular focus on the life of Lord Bute (who established the Walled Gardens in the 1770s).

Spendlove created an installation in The Vinery for the residency exhibition in September 2010. The work consisted of six collages, created to illustrate the six different places where Lord Bute ‘put down his roots’ prior to settling in Luton. Fragments of images from each of these places can be seen between the delicate roots cut into the paper screen.

The image of roots is symbolic of Bute’s lifetime fascination with Botany, the same pursuit that inspired him to create the Walled Garden. The works on the floor were made from the residual cut-outs from the collages. These roots appear like cracks or small rivers spreading into the landscape of the floor.