In Nature’s Hand

The theme of beautiful gardens and living sculptures continues at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, as we unveil a new sculpture for our visitors to enjoy.

After months of hard work, the ancient woodlands of the Lost Valley are now home to a captivating new art installation by artists Jasmine Fassenfelt and Rebecca Knight.

“In Nature’s Hands” was inspired by Heligan’s work maintaining natural spaces and fostering a connection with nature in times when it truly is so important to stay grounded. Inspiration for the piece also came from the iconic sculptures of brother and sister team, Peter and Sue Hill, that can be found whilst meandering along the garden’s Woodland Walk.

“As artists we are both personally inspired by nature and aim to encourage people to engage with natural spaces through creative work. A main goal of ours was to create something that would encourage people to take a moment to sit and listen to the birds and really let their senses explore their surroundings”, said Jasmine.

Hands are already an existing motif within the heritage of The Lost Gardens of Heligan where traditional methods of farming and gardening are honoured by promoting the value in manual labour. This new sculpture celebrates this heritage, whilst drawing attention to wider themes and showing that hands are symbolic in many ways.

Jasmine continues, “hands are tools of expression across cultures. The positioning of the hand is significant as it manifests honesty and a sense of vulnerability, alluding to the fragility of nature. We wanted to suggest the importance of sustainable living and minimalizing waste and pollution through personifying Mother Natures’ hands asking for kindness.”

“As two young artists collaborating with the Lost Gardens of Heligan, it was incredibly important to us, both in our own personal beliefs, and matching Heligan’s ethos, to create an installation that was sustainably made. Our hand is made from almost totally natural, reused, or recycled materials. The structure of this piece is made from repurposed steel scaffolding, and offcuts of plywood. We then used hay, an organic, natural material, compressed into second-hand tights to bulk out the frame into a realistic hand shape. With the support of chicken wire and a hessian fabric, we then covered the hand with our wicker, which was chosen due its status as an eco-friendly material.”

“In Nature’s Hands” can now be enjoyed in the Lost Valley at The Lost Gardens of Heligan just beyond the Growth and Decay charcoal Sculptures. The gardens and sculptors invite guests to sit within the sculpture to reconnect with nature. Please do share your photos with us on social media as we'd love to see them! 

About the artists

Jasmine is a multidisciplinary artist who has grown up in Cornwall, spending much of her childhood exploring the vast natural surroundings that this county is blessed with. She places great value in protecting our natural world and uses her often site-specific artwork as a means of communicating this to audiences, as well as encouraging sustainable living.

Rebecca is a scenographer and installation artist, who while not being a Cornish local, has a drive to draw audiences to think about their position on this earth, and promote protecting it, through sustainable artwork, which coincides with Heligan’s ethical values.

This evocative installation was created during May & June 2021 and installed on 12th June, to coincide with the G7 Summit taking place in Carbis Bay, 11th – 13th June.