SYSTEMS IN THE BODY AND SYSTEMS IN LANDSCAPE AND THE PLANET
THE REMIT
This has been an entirely self-generated project and has developed from 2000 when I first had the idea to use the pattern of a cross section of the heart for an Earthwork Heart of Reeds on a local nature reserve in Lewes. The remit was to create a pattern of water, land and reeds to allow for maximum biodiversity and give public access and involvement. In the same year I was given a thirty-day residency at Conquest Hospital, Hastings to research any area of medicine I wished and to produce two works for the Hospital. I narrowed my research down to Cardiology to link it to the Lewes project, and I focussed on echocardiograms. In the intervening 4 years I have pushed these ideas in all sorts of directions, and they begin to include, fingerprints, weather systems and ocean currents. The real focus has become how to relate the systems in our bodies to systems on the planet, and so reconnect people to nature, which will be both healing for ourselves and the planet.

THE WORK UNDERTAKEN - The works fall under three categories:
1) Works using the pattern of the cross section of the heart ­ the Cardiac Twist.
These include: Heart of Reeds, Heart River, Edge of Chaos, High Desert Winds, Heaven and Earth and all the Heart of Stone installations and courtyard plans.
2) Echocardiogram works developed at Conquest.
3) Works with fingerprints

The Cardiac Twist works vary in scale from small works on paper to the reed bed, which covers several acres. The Heart of Reeds, initiated by myself has been a four-year collaboration with environmentalists and town planners. Heart of stone has been made in 3 gallery venues and has been adapted for each new situation. The echocardiogram works have explored new digital technology interwoven with low-tech hands on techniques. As with the fingerprint works, they are all wall works, although aspects of an echocardiogram are now being incorporated into the Heart of Stone courtyard and I once proposed a large fingerprint Earthwork in grasses

1) Heart of Reeds
This has been a huge project working with botanists, environmentalists, entomologists, landscape architects, planners, district councillors, arts bodies, fundraisers and members of the public from all walks of life. It has in fact involved the whole town as they have been consulted at all stages. Its impact has been and will be considerable, both for biodiversity and for people who will have access to the reed bed at all times via disabled footpaths and a board walk. There will be a full educational program for schools over the next 3 years as the reeds grow. Heart of Reeds fits into a wider projected picture for the whole reserve. The Lewes Railway Land Wildlife Trust sees the land in terms of three metaphors ­ Heart, Lungs (the water meadows) and Brain (a proposed study centre). The whole project has generated much interest in the press and media, The BBC are interested in doing a film and I have given talks about it here and in America.

2) Heart of Stone
First proposed for a courtyard at Conquest, it has been exhibited as an installation in Welsh slate at Aberystwyth Art gallery, Oriel Mostyn, Gallery, Llandudno and at Stephen Lacey Gallery, London. The work was shown in conjunction with the other related wall works, making the link between body and planet. Over the course of six months many people saw these shows, there was a long review in the Telegraph and it generated much interest. Conquest Hospital owns Heart Waves and Landscapes of the Heart. The Wellcome Trust have purchased Rockies Karakoram for their permanent collection, and Francis Wells at Papworth has asked to use an image of Heart River to illustrate the Cardiac Twist to students. In collaboration with Elizabeth Banks Associates we have adapted Heart of Stone to be made as a permanent meditative stone garden for a courtyard outside the Cardiac unit at Central Middlesex Hospital. All the staff are very enthusiastic about it and we are confident we can raise the funds. I have now also been given the commission to develop the idea for a courtyard at Dudley Hospital, together with a fingerprint work on one of the roofs. This will happen in Autumn 2004. Most of the work featured here has gone into the revised version of my book Silent Spaces - Thames and Hudson, which has a worldwide distribution.