First impressions at Kew
Unbelievably I had never visited Kew until this October.
My first impression was of an overwhelming amount of green - grass, trees, plants, palms. With autumn so late this year the trees still had their leaves and were still very very green.My next impression was of the benches dotted around the Gardens in various formations - assuming the personalities and activities of groups of people - intimate discussion, side by side contemplation, face to face confrontation, easy conversation, group chat.
Then I found Auntie Beattie's bench. Dedicated to Beatrice Murray 1900 to 1982. Her bench was in the middle of an expanse of grass looking towards the lake. I had an Auntie Beattie so this struck a chord with me - probably everyone my age had an Auntie Beattie, and there can't be many left now, I imagine.
I was curious about Beattie but a google search turned up nothing. I was at Kew to find inspiration for a project related to my Masters Degree in Drawing As Process at Kingston University, and benches, and in particular this bench, became a focal point.
What, I wondered, would happen if I placed a brightly coloured bench in the Gardens? Would people sit on it, or would it assume the status of a piece of art and be looked at and respectfully avoided? Taking a bench into Kew turned out to be impossible because the authorities said definitely no more benches. The bench population is currently around 800 and the park is deemed 'full' of benches - there certainly are lots of them, and it's hard to see how any more could be placed there without causing a hazard!
What then if I could colour Auntie Beattie's bench somehow?
posted by Lynda Cornwell @ 9:43 AM
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