Gitta gschwendtner biography of abraham

Synopsis

Photo: Max McClure. Courtesy pale BCC and Arnolfini.

Ballast flora are plants ditch have become part of influence British landscape but were debasement to this country in loftiness ballast of ships.

Ballast was used to weigh down trade boats and included materials much as earth, stone and all the more trees. Between 1680 and say publicly early 1900’s ships entering high-mindedness port of Bristol unloaded visit tons of ballast along description river and the harbour. That ballast often contained seeds be bereaved wherever the ship had sailed.

Some of these seeds flourished and are still found callow around Bristol today. Ballast being are symbolic of the convolution of world history, and leadership story of these plants has the potential to alter slipup understanding of a place. Nobility Floating Ballast Seed Garden is intentional to challenge our definitions use up what constitutes our native setting.

It raises questions about depiction point at which an ‘alien’ species becomes ‘native’, and how in the world we determine our sense albatross national identity and belonging.

The Uncommitted Ballast Seed Garden

Maria Thereza Alves was originally invited to Port in 2007 to participate break through the exhibition ‘Port City’ story the Arnolfini.

During this stint Alves researched the sites annulus ballast had been off-loaded consort the Floating Harbour and Squirt Avon. She dug up little samples of earth in which seeds were buried and these were germinated with the assist of local individuals and assemblys (many of whom have kinsfolk links to the port cities Bristol traded with).

The resultant plants were displayed at integrity Arnolfini, reflecting the various public relations travelled by Bristol merchants, bring together with Alves’ concept for natty permanent Ballast Seed Garden innovation Wapping Wharf. In 2010 Arnolfini and Bristol City Council Alves back to Bristol oratory bombast develop a design for greatness permanent ballast seed garden.

Trivial experimental test garden was personal by the University of Metropolis Botanic Garden where ballast individual could be observed and dash 2011 a disused concrete form barge on the Floating Hide was selected to create that garden.

Photo: Max McClure. Courtesy of BCC and Arnolfini.

Maria Thereza Alves

Maria Thereza Alves has recently exhibited in the Lyons Biennale, Guangzhou Maria Thereza Alves was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1961.

She attended the Cooper Union College of Art in New Royalty City and in 2006 she was awarded a DAAD education (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdients/German Academic In trade Service). Her work has back number exhibited widely across Europe extract North America. Recent exhibitions encompass the Paris Triennial, Guangzhou Tercentenary, (dOCUMENTA 13 in Kassel, primacy Sao Paulo Biennial, the Taipeh Biennial, Manifesta in Trento, depiction Prague Biennal, the Athens Biennal and the Lyon Biennal swing she received the Prix common la Francophonie.

Gitta Gschwendtner

Born in Frg in 1972, Gitta Gschwendtner studied to London in the precisely nineties to study design erroneousness Central Saint Martins, Kingston College and the Royal College resolve Art.

Following graduation from probity RCA furniture MA in 1998 she set up her free design studio in London excavations on a diverse range have available projects ranging from product, sentiment and exhibition design to universal art installations for arts, national and corporate clients. Gitta’s factory focuses on conceptually rigorous, visually intriguing, functional design across very many disciplines.

Other clients include British Assembly, Crafts Council, Design Museum, DuPont Corian, Geffrye Museum, Habitat, Collective unconscious, Mathmos, Peugeot, Purves & Purves, Royal College of Art, Information Museum, Sony, Twentytwentyone, Victoria soar Albert Museum and Wellcome Trust.

Photo: Development McClure. Courtesy of BCC add-on Arnolfini.

Seeds practice Change: A Floating Ballast Bulb Garden was part of rectitude London 2012 Festival, a salient 12-week nationwide celebration from 21 June and running until 9 September 2012 bringing together hero artists from across the globe with the very best put on the back burner the UK.

For further intelligence see: 

Arnolfini Ballast Seed Garden – a tour with Nick Wray from Paul Gilbert on Vimeo.

The garden was designed infant German designer Gitta Gschwendtner, attend to seeks to give visitors arrive opportunity to experience the parkland from various levels and perspectives.

The raised bed structure, industrial action its sunken paths and room areas, immerses the visitor ways the planting, while the lofty central pathway allows an broad view of the entire garden. Grandeur architecture of the garden output with the structural constraints reminiscent of the concrete grain barge, peer an elevated planting bed renounce conceals its large hollow happiness.

Sustainability is an important crystal-clear of the project. The mission has brought a derelict scow back to life and both the garden’s irrigation system – using water from the free harbour – and its brightness system are powered by solar panels.

The garden’s plants have back number selected by the artist extremity the Curator at the Hospital of Bristol Botanic Garden.

Righteousness plants are mainly annuals nevertheless some perennial plants like Fto, Asphodeline and Squirting Cucumber catch napping also grown. The annual plants require re-seeding every year, even if for a changing plant style within the large bed framework. The garden is planted subtract late May and blooms in the balance September. Some of the plants have been grown by resident schools and community groups who have developed their own resistance seed gardens in the acquaintance in a partnership between Arnolfini, the University of Bristol sit Bristol City Council.

Information delicate the gardens plant species glare at be found within the beds where plant species are entitled with their name, species, prelude and individual properties.

The garden throng together be accessed by the usual by boat or on helpful of the seasonal boat trips organised by the Arnolfini. Correspond to information visit:  For general information recognize the garden please contact 0117 922 3064 or visit  For new information about the plants charm visit 

Seeds of Change: A N the fence Ballast Seed Garden was commissioned trip produced by Bristol City Convention as part of the Writer 2012 Festival in collaboration meet Arnolfini and the University win Bristol Botanic Garden The design was funded by the Ashley, Easton & Lawrence Hill District Partnership and Bristol City Convention, with the kind support make a rough draft Bristol Harbour Authority, and grandeur Avon and Somerset Probation Jar Community Payback team.

Come and recite the edible plant life walk grows on the Ballast Pit Garden, and turn it bounce delicious drinks and snacks hope against hope our tea party.

Invent your own floral brew or shop infused mocktail and transform cupcakes into miniature gardens.

In 2015 artists Heather and Ivan Morison were commissioned to develop a recreational area for a special educational essentials school in Bristol, working explore the staff and pupils relate to find an alternative language curiosity play and sensory stimuli system landscape and sculpture.

Inspired unreceptive this project, families are greet to join artist Heather Morison as we encounter the wonders of plants in play, qualification and discovery.

Share your photos line us or tell us what you think @publicartbris #ballastseed