Art and the Garden: Conversations with three contemporary Australian artists

Join The Planthunter editor Georgina Reid in conversation with Bill Henson, Janet Laurence and Tamara Dean. Each of these artists have a deep connection to plants, gardens and the natural world. 

The work of Moran Prize-winning photographer, Tamara Dean explores the human relationship with nature through ritual, myth and personal experience. The conversation with Tamara will explore her childhood experiences of living immersed in the bushland of Sydney’s north, ideas of wildness and femininity in relation to landscape and place, and the role of ritual in connecting to the non-human world. “Where can you find spaces that relate to your primal instincts as a human in cities nowadays? I think, inherently, we seek wild places out. Reconnecting with a sense of being human in nature reminds you of the bigger picture.”

For photographer Bill Henson, gardening is a drug. It’s a form of meditation and ‘one of the most ancient and greatest pathways into contemplation’. The conversation with Bill Henson will explore the making of his own garden in Melbourne and the relationship between his garden and art practice. “Gardens, books and art are the three fixed points with which I move the world. They’re the trifecta.”

Janet Laurence has been making art in collaboration with plants for over 30 years. Her east Balmain garden is a reflection of her continual exploration into the aesthetics of care and the interconnectedness of all things. The conversation with Janet will explore care and connectedness, the lessons she’s learned from plants and nature and the relationship between art and activism. “For a long time I was focused on gently waking people up, but now I feel it’s imperative to speak loudly. I know that art can reach people. We need art now, we really need it.”

Tamara Dean : Sunday 8 September 2019, 10.30 am to 12 noon
Bill Henson : Sunday 20 October 2019, 10.30 am to 12 noon
Janet Laurence : Sunday 10 November 2019, 10.30 am to 12 noon

Tickets : $35 + booking fee
Bookings:  via theplanthunter.com.au