Nature’s Hand
Client: The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall
Students: Jasmine Fassenfelt and Rebecca Knight
This piece was inspired by the great work that Heligan does, in maintaining natural spaces, and fostering a connection with nature in times when it is so important to stay grounded. It is also partly inspired by the local artwork already found along the woodland walk, which emphasise the beauty of the land. As artists we are both personally inspired by nature and aim to encourage people to engage with natural spaces through creative work. We have worked collaboratively previously on multiple projects, drawn together by this shared passion and aim to work sustainably.
Hands are already an existing motif within the heritage of The Lost Gardens of Heligan. The gardens honour the traditional methods of farming and gardening, working with your hands and promoting the value in manual labour. Our sculpture celebrates this, while also drawing attention to wider themes. Hands are symbolic in many ways; they are tools of expression across cultures. The positioning of the hand is significant as it manifests honesty and a sense of vulnerability, alluding to the fragility of nature. We wanted to suggest the importance of sustainable living and minimalizing waste and pollution through personifying Mother Natures’ hands asking for kindness.
It was incredibly important to us, both in our own personal beliefs, and matching Heligan’s ethos, to create an installation that was sustainably made. Our hand is made from almost totally natural, reused, or recycled materials
We decided early on we wanted to collaborate on a final major project as we have worked well together previously with external clients. We knew that teaming up would mean we could be more ambitious with our end goal, in designing and in physical size, as well as this we each have our own set of strengths and weaknesses which complement one another, meaning we could learn a great deal from collaborating. Collaboration is not uncommon in the freelance world that we see ourselves in; particularly during Covid we’ve recognised more than ever the importance of sharing thoughts and ideas with other creative thinkers.
