A dance studio may not seem an obvious place to house a Chelsea Fringe exhibit, but the Siobhan Davies Dance Studio is as interested in contemporary art as it is in choreography – and the two work together surprisingly well.
Landscape designer and sculptor Daniel Lobb has created two installations, both of which rely on interaction from visitors and staff.
‘As above, so below’ is an intriguing industrial style construction suspended in the atrium above the reception area. An air humidifier converts moisture from the air into water which is fed via copper channels into planted containers, any spare water spills into a bowl at the end of the channel, which then evaporates is converted back into water by the humidifier and so the process begins again!
Daniel’s second piece of work is an ‘Edible Staircase’; small plastic cones have been painstakingly attached to the studios metal staircase and then planted up with tiny, edible plants. This is a great idea for children and has been taken up enthusiastically by the pupils at the junior school next door to the dance studio. Each child has their own plant and visitors and staff are encouraged, as they go up and down the stairs, to water the plants (watering cans are supplied for the job) take out any that are wilting and replant with fresh ones where necessary. Simple, but incredibly effective.
The studios are a little off the beaten track, tucked away in South East London, just down the road from the Imperial War Museum, but visitors are actively encouraged to pop in and view – and if you want to indulge in a little interior gardening at the same time then you would be more than welcome!
