In a nature reserve in Lewes, East Sussex, internationally renowned land artist, Chris Drury has created a bed of reeds in the shape of a heart — not the “I-heart-you” heart, but the anatomical cross-section of a human heart. This “cardiac twist” is a form that is mirrored everywhere in the geometry of nature, a double vortex that in this case channels water from natural springs into the reed bed and then out to surrounding meadows.
Heart of Reeds has been in progress since 2000, helped along through consultation with environmentalists, botanists, landscape architects, and Lewes locals (of which Drury is one). The four-acre piece is formed primarily of organic materials already present at the site, and all man-made materials used in the construction are made of local, recycled plastics and natural wood.
The project is a part of a larger effort towards biodiversity and preservation at The Lewes Railway Land Wildlife Trust. The overarching plan treats the reserve as a living body, with a heart, lungs and a brain. Drury’s “heart” feeds the “lungs” of the meadows as water levels rise and fall, and the “brain” is a projected educational center for visitors and local students.
Heart of Reeds had its grand opening on June 25. It will be three years before the reeds establish themselves, but in the meantime, boardwalks and bridges will allow up-close observation, and the nearby hilltop provides an aerial view of the entire work.
Heart of Reeds has been in progress since 2000, helped along through consultation with environmentalists, botanists, landscape architects, and Lewes locals (of which Drury is one). The four-acre piece is formed primarily of organic materials already present at the site, and all man-made materials used in the construction are made of local, recycled plastics and natural wood.
The project is a part of a larger effort towards biodiversity and preservation at The Lewes Railway Land Wildlife Trust. The overarching plan treats the reserve as a living body, with a heart, lungs and a brain. Drury’s “heart” feeds the “lungs” of the meadows as water levels rise and fall, and the “brain” is a projected educational center for visitors and local students.
Heart of Reeds had its grand opening on June 25. It will be three years before the reeds establish themselves, but in the meantime, boardwalks and bridges will allow up-close observation, and the nearby hilltop provides an aerial view of the entire work.