2015
Kerry Sandstone and Mild Steel
Stone: 180mm (dia) x 90mm
Stand: 650mm x 450mm x 1400mm
The Lake Isle of Innisfree as depicted by Yeats, is defined by the beauty of construction in its absence; as a place apart, a refuge. The island itself is the construct, Yeats’s refuge. The proposal explores the idea of event by means of two extremes of time, a piece of stone and a flowering plant, a stepping stone and a garden.
The ‘Landing Stone’ marks the threshold to the event, the moment of arrival to the celebration, and departure from the world to the refuge of the island. ‘The Garden’ provides a sympathetic moment of intensity, a “bee loud glade”, to give a centre of gravity and sense of place on the island for Yeats’s Birthday celebrations.
“I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree…”
The large low fat and curved ‘Landing Stone’ breaching the lake water warrants the inspection of a rowboat and its occupants. Carefully positioned, considering the approach, the view, and orientation from the local piers of Slishwood, Sligo and Killerry. Stepping onto the large red furry Kerry sandstone monolith the visitor catches a glimpse of ‘Yeats Garden’. A myriad of colourful alien flowering plants viewed through the lush green mixed canopy of woodland trees, understorey of shrubs with a carpet of rough grasses and ferns.
Embraced in the woodland depth, the garden reveals itself as a circular enclosure with the welcoming invitation of seating along its inner edge. The proposal imagines a gardener planting flowers for pleasure, as food for his bees to listen to their gentle hum.
“…a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.”
Stone: Ferdiastone
Steel Stand: Beasley J. Engineering
Planting: Digby Brady Landscape Design