Prized pot plants to become artworks
Lisa Cheung
Summer Palace at Southport Flower Show
16 – 19 August 2007
Local community groups, clubs and associations are being asked to lend their favourite houseplants, treasured shrubs or prized vegetables to form part of Summer Palace, a new artwork by Lisa Cheung that will be a major feature at this year’s Southport Flower Show.
Over 100 special plants belonging to local groups in and around Southport and Liverpool will be displayed from 16-19 August 2007 within Summer Palace, a large outdoor sculpture which draws inspiration from walled gardens, hidden retreats and tea pavilions.
Working in collaboration with Southport Flower Show, A Foundation has invited artist Lisa Cheung to develop Summer Palace – an offsite project that will be on show at the horticultural event. This sculpture will then be housed at Greenland Street arts centre in Liverpool throughout the autumn 2007.
Lisa Cheung has designed Summer Palace, a flexible, temporary, outdoor furniture installation which will provide a space for visitors to rest and refresh within the busy Flower Show. Both a public and intimate social space will be created, composed of seating and shade where free Chinese tea will be served.
The sculpture will house 100 cherished flowers, vegetables and plants for the duration of the Flower Show, creating one large-scale, collective display. Donated on a temporary basis to the show, the plants will be submitted for the sheer pleasure of sharing the beauty and enjoyment they give their owners, rather than for competition.
Each community group will be asked to share their personal relationship to the plant, explaining why it is important to them. Personal plant stories will be documented on a set of limited edition teacups, which artist Lisa Cheung will use in Summer Palace to serve specially brewed Chinese tea free to visitors.
Plants will be returned after the flower show or, if their owners agree, they will be exhibited at Greenland Street in Liverpool from October 2007 when Summer Palace will be installed at the arts centre.
If you are interested in contributing a plant or would like more information please contact Helen Brierley at Greenland Street T: 0151 706 0600 E: helenb@afoundation.org.uk
Please note that Summer Palace is an outdoor sculpture, so the plants will be exposed to the elements during Southport Flower Show. More robust plants are recommended. Please contact Helen Brierley for information about plant size restrictions. Plants will be on display from 16 – 19 August ‘07.
This year’s Southport Flower Show will be officially opened by television and radio presenter Gloria Hunniford. For ticket information please telephone Ticketmaster on 0870 44 44 226 or log on to www.southportflowershow.co.uk