Finders Keepers Losers Weepers – Jane Higginbottom
I have been making work about our loss of habitat such as the 97% decrease in wild flower
meadows in the last 50 years since the Second World War.
I made three carved spoons referring to mono culture crops such as wheat, rice and potatoes.
All these are crops that we rely on as part of our staple diet and progress in high yield crops
has led to better food supplies. What we have lost is biodiversity in the countryside and
I have now started to make some wild flower spoons such as one referring to the poppy.
Biodiversity is important for wild life habitat and also for protecting our plant species
from disease that could wipe them out. A more varied and wild approach to managed
landscape and gardens is now becoming common practice and I am thinking about
the value of what we could potentially loose if we do not continue to go in this direction.
The other work that I am making is a version of a Wardian case. These were used to
import precious plants to Britain historically and were a breakthrough in allowing
plants to survive long sea journeys and thus allowed the introduction of many new
plants from places such as China. They are a small survival capsule for plants –
or not – we will see how my living sculptures survive the duration of the exhibition.
Seed bombs growing in Wardian Case – Conway Hall
Wildflower carved wooden spoons – Poppy and Snakes Head Fritillary
Sizes: 33cm x 7cm x4.5cm 19cm x 7cm x 3cm