Living Sculpture is a rare piece of talent that requires immense expertise. Such sculptures are seldom found these days. These are usually created with the help of living organisms. It usually consists of living grasses, trees, and plants. Sometimes vines are also used for the making of the same.
The artist has to be an expert horticulturist to make such pieces of art. Grafting and pruning are the main methods of creating these sculptures. The art of sculpture has thrived on Earth for hundreds of years. Renowned artists have sculpted some of the awe-inspiring figures.
However, those sculptures were usually made up of nonliving things. Stones, clay, plasters & bronze were predominantly used. The art of sculpting figures with living organisms has evolved recently. This happened due to the rising need to conserve our environment.
Our environment has been plagued with a number of issues. Global warming, the greenhouse effect, and pollution are some of them. To counter the ill effects, people have started sculpting different figures out of nature. This maintains the attraction of the art as well as refrains people from destroying it.
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There are some of the best living sculptures present out there at the moment. One such piece of art can be found in The Lost Gardens Of Heligan. The garden is one of the most beautiful places that one can visit in the world.
Visitors are usually amazed at the sight of a giant head of a woman in the grass. The woman appears to be sleeping in peace along with the grasses and flowers surrounding it.
The head of the giant woman is not real. It is one of the most perfectly executed living sculptures in the world. Let us learn more about the art in detail below.
Living Sculpture: The Lost Gardens Of Heligan
The Lost Gardens Of Heligan is located in the southwestern part of England. The gardens have a history rich past. It originally belonged to the estate of Tremayne.
The Tremaynes were in power around the later half of the sixteenth century. The garden was the main attraction of their estate. The family put in immense efforts to develop the garden into a beautiful land.
Multiple gardeners were appointed to take proper care of the land. Over subsequent generations, the gardens began evolving. By the end of the nineteenth century, the gardens of Heligan became a paradise.
However, tragedy struck soon after the onset of the twentieth century. With the first world war wreaking havoc, most of the gardeners left their jobs. They went to fight the war and defend their front.
Unfortunately, most of them did not join their previous job after the war was over. This made the number of helping hands for the garden decline rapidly. The gardens began getting neglected.
As a result, they became unkempt and wild bushes began to thrive. Soon, paradise became a mere piece of wasteland. Fortunately enough, many years later, the heir of the Tremayne family decided to renovate the gardens.
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Living Sculpture: Nature’s Treat To The Eye
Tim Smit was the lead orchestrator in reviving the gardens. He structured the interiors and designed them accordingly. After the restoration was complete, he decided to ornament the land with living sculptures.
There are two of the best living sculptures present in the garden- The Giant’s Head and the Mud Maid. These living sculptures have remained a significant attraction for tourists over the years. It is because of the living sculpture, the gardens have generated great revenues.
Apart from the living sculpture, there are many other attractions as well. The gardens boast massive stretches of Rhododendrons, Jungles, and Italian gardens. It also has a space for growing vegetables for commercial purposes.
Most of the Mud Maid is made up of Ivy. Thus, the living sculpture changes its color along with the seasons. The maid is covered in snow during the winters that add an eerie touch to the living sculpture.
