It is a particularly exciting month to be a plant art enthusiast.
Natures, Natural and Unnatural and The Production Line of Happiness
Two interesting things to see at Whitechapel Gallery at the moment: Natures, Natural and Unnatural is curated by Turner Prize nominated painter Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, who has selected works inspired by nature from the V-A-C Collection, Moscow. You get to see Hockney’s 30 Sunflowers, Natalia Goncharova’s Still life With Flowers, Peter Doig’s Green Trees, Gary Hume’s Garden Painting #2 and others all in one room. Also showing is an exhibition by US photographer Christopher Williams: The Production Line of Happiness, which includes a whole range of different subjects with no wall plates until you get to his rather interesting 1989 studies of botanical specimens, Angola to Vietnam (see picture below).
Work from botanical artists in the collection of Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE
See, and buy, artworks by currently respected botanical artists at the Jonathan Cooper gallery, including artworks from Coral Guest and Rachel Pedder-Smith. Runs until 30 May.
Painting Paradise: The Art of the Garden at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
An exhibition that celebrates the garden as subject, bringing together paintings, botanical studies, drawings, books, manuscripts and decorative arts. See how the representation of gardens have changed from the 16th to the early 20th century through some great artworks. Runs to October 2015.
Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014
The Chelsea Fringe
It is that time of year again. It’s fun just looking at the schedule. So much to admire about plant people with initiative and drive who create so many things for us to enjoy. 16 May to 17 June.
Chelsea Flower Show
It’s that time of year again. Let’s hope it’s not too crowded and the people in front of you at the show gardens are not too tall. Time to find out what’s trending in garden design and to take a look at the colour and poise of the current super models on the cultivar catwalk. Runs 19-23.
Have you got your ticket?