The Weeds And The Wilderness is a series of photographs by British artist-photographer, Simon Roberts (b. 1974).
This evocative series:
‘Seeks out and finds ancient wooded sites that depict a primordial, Edenic state. The approach is inspired by idea of the inscape, a term coined by the Victorian poet Gerard Manley Hopkins to suggest that every living thing has a unique set of characteristics which distinguish it from the next – something akin to a God-given essence. Hopkins argued it was the artist or poet’s responsibility to recognise this ‘inscape’ within nature and convey this to others through their art. All the photographs were taken during the winter months, between November – February, in various ancient woodlands around Britain.’
(The Weeds and the Wilderness – Simon Roberts, 2020)
While carrying out the research for the AG60 Research and Experimentation module, I was recommended to look at the photographic work of Simon Roberts, specifically his images of woodland. Admittedly at the time I couldn’t see the connection between my Moments of Eternity pieces and Roberts’ photographs. However, when I revisited Roberts’ work in light of this new project, the connections became quite clear.
My research involving hawthorn trees has made me realise how much they are part of humanity’s culture and ecology. The following paragraph brought this realisation home:
‘Many Britons no longer have any daily connection with its woods. Mostly we go about our lives sealed from the wild. At the same time, these landscapes touch upon themes such as conservation, ownership, history, magic and myth, climate change, childhood fears, and our current obsession with what is ‘native’ or ‘alien’. They also say something about Britishness and belonging.’
(The Weeds and the Wilderness – Simon Roberts, 2020)
The realisation came from my ‘discovery’ of hawthorns – I had been visiting Bushy Park since 2007 and it was only this year (2020) that I discovered the part these trees play within this environment. Before this, the hawthorns were ‘invisible’ and only an afterthought compared to the other trees in the park. Although Roberts’ images are different in style and composition, the ethos behind the work is similar. It is making the hidden visible, provoking awareness of our natural environment.
Simon Roberts
Simon Roberts’ work deals with our relationship to landscape and notions of identity and belonging. He has published and exhibited widely and his photographs reside in major public and private collections, including the George Eastman House, Deutsche Börse Art Collection and V&A Collection. In 2013 Roberts was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society.
References
Roberts, S. 2020. The Weeds And The Wilderness – Simon Roberts. [online] Available at: <https://www.simoncroberts.com/work/the-weeds-and-the-wilderness/> [Accessed 17 November 2020].
Jennie Meadows MA Photography 