Empire
31st May 2024 - 2nd June 2024
Empire (2024) continues to explore society’s lust for expansion and increasing separation from the natural world.
Landscapes conditioned for productivity and progression have been at the heart of British culture for millennia, a desire for ‘greater,’ ‘bigger,’ and ‘better.’ This quest for a ‘Greater’ Britain began with paved roads and exists today as towering megastructures.
Over the course of three days, we witness the artist Henry Kitcher transform loose soil into an ever-expanding terrain of meticulously crafted bricks. A show of endurance and ambition, the soil bricks are pressed and positioned to be fragments of an infinitely growing mosaic. The artist’s labour makes visible creation, conquest, and the pursuit of empire.
Empire, 2024 is made from raw bagged compost and water. Zero waste was produced in the installation’s manufacturing. All soil used in the installation will be repurposed for further soil works following the same ethos.
Special thanks to Marco Galvan & Lucie Touroul
Photos by Daniyel Lowden