Commission Aims
Christine Borland's 'To Be Set and Sown in the Garden' was commissioned to commemorate Glasgow University's 550th anniversary.
Commission Background
Commissions were sought via invited submissions from a shortlist of five artists, consisting of a description of approach, as opposed to a final outcome or design. Borland's selection was concurrent to a proposed period of research, which saw her become an Honorary Fellow to the University Medical Humanities Unit. This considerable research period allowed the artist a 'rich resource' to work from and ideas were developed with colleagues from the Anatomy Department in addition to curators at the Hunterian Museum. In particular, Borland worked in close dialogue with Professor Jim H. Dickson from the Institute of Biomedical Life Sciences.
Mungo Campbell, Director of the Hunterian Art Gallery, co-ordinated the commission on behalf of the University's 2001 Committee. Work was managed to a series of deadlines, with regular feedback and dialogue between the artist and the Committee. Campbell comments;
'When Christine was selected for the 2001 project we knew that we had an outstanding opportunity to draw together the human and intellectual threads of the University's past and future development. As we hoped, this work promises to show Christine's characteristic lightness of touch and precision of thought, inviting us to inhabit the threshold between art, science and society'.
(Campbell in University News University of Glasgow Archive 18th Dec 2001)
The work was produced in collaboration with landscape architects Loci Design and under the project management of Tom Littlewood of Ginkgo Design. Borland's drawn designs were developed into finalized models by landscape architect Greg White, who continued to work with her on all aspects of the project including the lighting and planting of the garden.
Other practitioners involved in the realisation of the project included -
Scott Associates (Woodwork)
Alison Borthwick, Buchlyvie Ceramics, Stirling (Ceramics)
The work was developed on the vacant site between the grade A-listed Round Reading Room and the Hunterian Art Gallery. Grassy, with no shade, real paths or drainage, the site was to become a focal green point. Through informal dialogues with students and meetings with student groups and bodies, it was concluded that a suitable way to utilise the space would be as a seating area. With function to some extent determining form, Borland designed a 'low-key' work, both public sculpture and operative public space.
Borland developed the concept for the work in partnership with Prof. J.H. Dickson, from the planting list for a Physic Garden in the University. The list was drawn up by the Rev. Mark Jameson, a student who served as Rector's Deputy in 1555, and later as 'Vicar-Choral' at Glasgow Cathedral. His well worn copy of Leonhart Fuch's 'De Historia Stirpum Commentarii Insignes' (Significant Notes on the History of Plants), first published in 1542, is held at the Special Collections Department at Glasgow University. His plans for the garden, published in J.H. Dickson and W.W.Gauld's 'Mark Jameson's Physic Plants, A Sixteenth Century Garden for Gynecology in Glasgow?' (Scottish Medical Journal 1987: 32 Edinburgh, 1987) lay out the herbs he wanted 'to be sett and sawin in ye garding'. It is unclear whether this garden was ever planted; the earliest physic garden in the University is not officially recorded until the 18th Century.
A proposal summary by Borland reads;
'The work is based on a list of plants for what is believed to be the first Physic Garden planned, but probably not realized, [in] Scotland. It was drawn up on the back of a heavily annotated pocket edition of Fuch’s Mediaeval Herbal, belonging to Rev. Mark Jameson…
It comprises a series of beds, to sit or lie on, These will be laid out formally, referring closely to the beds of a herb garden. Some ‘double beds’ will be joined at the head area, creating intimacy – I hope the whole area will have a distinct atmosphere, providing a space for contemplation as well as relaxation. The grass between the beds should be allowed to grow longer than that of the surrounding area. Medieval gardens, even those which were purely functional, were a rare refuge from the chaos and brutality of the times. Every bed will have a pillow for each user…on each pillow is a hand painted depiction of the 10 ecbolic plants described… by Mark Jameson. The paintings will be adapted from the originals in Fuch’s Medieval Herbal.
…An electrical light element will be embedded in each of the beds making the piece function equally well at night. The light will emanate as a soft glow through the ceramic head sections.
n.b. The idea has been developed with a disabled ramp traversing the site, as a very important consideration. At the moment the financial provision does not exist therefore it is part of a larger, master plan. If realised the ramp will be incorporated into the sculpture as a whole. 4 sections of the ramp will be bespoke, also made entirely from white ceramic and illuminated. Similar to the headrests, they will carry hand painted depictions of 8 gynecological but non-ecbolic plants from the garden.'
Commission Difficulties
The lighting scheme remains an unresolved and ongoing issue for the work. Compromised by the budget, the current lighting design differs from the original, but remains an important aspect of the work. The vinyl texts on the strip lights connect them to the structure and narrate the story which forms a foundation to the project. Unfortunately the lighting rarely functions.
Other practical considerations have to be resolved, such as the use of bins on the site, which were not incorporated or considered in the design. Similarly the wood needs some upkeep, but the project benefits from a small maintenance budget. The moulds for the ceramic elements of the piece have been bought by Glasgow University, to replace or restore damaged parts.
Legacy
Christine Borland subsequently produced a large body of work inspired by her research as Honorary Fellow. ‘Ecbolic Garden, Winter’ (2001), a literal garden created by Borland, was later bought by the Centre for Health Science, Inverness. The work consists of 50 hand blown vessels containing bleached plants and roots preserved in alcohol solution. The plants, including marigold, wild parsnip and juniper, are again thought to refer to midwifery. 'The History of Plants According to Women, Children and Students' (2002) is a suite of 100 hand-coloured etchings representing 10 plants illustrated in the 'Significant Notes of the History of Plants' by Leonard Fuchs, and highlights the unknown women, children and students who coloured the plates and were, unlike the master artists, not remembered.
These works were also included in the 2006 Fruitmarket Gallery (Edinburgh) exhibition 'Preserves' and the subsequent publication (Preserves, Chistine Borland, Fruitmarket, Edinburgh; 2006). A commissioned essay by Ulla Angkjaer Jorgensen considers both 'To Be Set and Sown in the Garden' and 'The History of Plants According to Woman, Children and Students'.