Image by Carl Culling Want to read more about gardens and green spaces? Interested in seeing further projects from the artists featured in our current exhibitions? Explore five picks from our independent bookshop to accompany Is This A Garden? and The Perfect Flower.
The Garden Aganist Time by Olivia Laing. Image by Carl Culling The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing, £10.99
The Garden Against Time takes us on a journey through the restoration of an overgrown Suffolk garden that Laing took ownership of during lockdown. Referring to notable gardens through history, she discusses how they came to be, what inspired them and the social impact they had. From England’s lavish homes and gardens that were funded by the profits of slavery to the effect that World War II had on green spaces, each chapter is packed with fascinating stories and the sometimes shocking cost of making paradise on earth. It’s a popular book in our shop, so grab it whilst you can!
Forest by Yan Wang Preston. Image by Carl Culling. Forest by Yan Wang Preston, £45.00
This visually-striking project examines the complex politics of urban reforestation in China, capturing the reality of rapid green city initiatives. Between 2010 and 2017, Preston photographed the transplantation of mature trees from their natural environments to urban areas in Chongqing and Haidong, raising questions about migration, urbanisation, and our relationship with the natural world.
Fugue by Lydia Goldblatt. Image by Carl Culling Fugue by Lydia Goldblatt, £45.00
Fugue is a four year photographic project that explores Goldblatt’s transition into motherhood whilst she simultaneously navigates the loss of her own mother. Shot on medium format film, these tender photographs are accompanied by fragments of text that chart her feelings of loss throughout this period of life. It is a beautiful and poignant book centred on family, love, distance and grief.
Pictures from the Garden. Image by Carl Culling Pictures from the Garden, £35.00
In 2014, Paddy Summerfield published his deeply moving book, Mother and Father, which documented his parents’ relationship as they grew old in their Oxford home and garden. Pictures from the Garden revisits this project, bringing together seven UK photographers to respond to the Summerfield garden with their own family, exploring the emotions and themes that were evoked in the original publication. Featuring images by Siân Davey, Matthew Finn, Nik Roche, Alex Schneideman, Jem Southam, Paddy Summerfield, Alys Tomlinson and Vanessa Winship.
Now and Then by Daniel Meadows. Image by Carl Culling Now and Then by Daniel Meadows, £25.00
Now and Then is a unique project that documents a changing Britain over a period of 45 years. It is centred around Meadows’ photographs from his Free Photographic Omnibus, a 14-month tour he undertook in the 1970s offering free portraits across the UK. The book pairs these images with more portraits taken in the years that followed, sometimes returning to those he had initially photographed, observing how things were and how they had changed.
The independent bookshop at Open Eye Gallery offers a curated selection of contemporary photographic works, independent publications, and creative tools for all ages. Our shop is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm (except exhibition changeover periods). Students can enjoy a 10% discount with a valid student card, and Arts Pass holders also receive additional discounts.
Images by Carl Culling
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