New exhibition at Botanic Garden

Travelling and Sculpture
11 - 25 August 2001

The Botanic Garden's contribution to the Year of the Artist continues this month with the return of Mary Butcher and Tim Johnson, former artists-in-residence. Mary, a highly-trained basket maker, and Tim, a sculptor, have created an exhibition of sculptural and basketry-inspired objects.

The fusion of form and texture in the Garden has provided Mary and Tim with a wealth of influences for their new exhibition, Travelling and Sculpture. The exhibition crosses the boundaries between science, horticulture and art. The structures and patterning of plants have inspired non-traditional but recognisable basket-related processes and shapes. These are fleshed out with many natural materials and objects gathered during their extensive travels in the UK and abroad.

The exhibition is dedicated to Mary Butcher's mother, Fiona Macarthur, who died in July this year. "As a child she spent time brushing a bothy floor in Caithness with a heather broom. It is fitting that we dedicate this exhibition to her," says Mary.

The work that Tim and Mary completed as artists-in-residence in March is still on display in the Glasshouses, Cory Lodge Lawn and the Woodland Garden. They used basket-making, weaving and stitching techniques to create pieces from materials in the Garden, such as leaves, bamboo, twigs, grasses, roots and anything else they found in the compost heap. Visitors now have the opportunity to view the Travelling and Sculpture exhibition, and then venture into the Garden to see how the earlier works have matured and weathered since March.

Travelling and Sculpture is in the Gilmour Building from 11 - 25 August, open from 10am - 4pm.
Admission to the exhibition is free, but normal Garden admission charges apply.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Tel: 01223 336265
Fax: 01223 336278
Email: enquiries@botanic.cam.ac.uk