⛅Self Seeding

These are shapes of seeds which were produced by MFA students at Falmouth University along with adults and children who participated in the art of seed making at Void Art Centre. The shapes are made using layers of materials to represent the dimensions of a seed with its seed coat, embryo, roots and food sources.

 

The seed shapes represent both darkness and light; seed conditions which correspond to both germination and growth. Self seeding refers to our capacity to produce new ideas and endeavours. These themes align with the season of Lughnasa, a festival marking the beginning of harvesting and the gathering of seeds as acts of hope and potential for the next growing year.

 

Self seeding is also the cultivation of new territories and the capacity to occupy space on one’s own terms. Seeds in the wild do what they want. They are released in order to make something happen, as in a new beginning after dormancy. These seed shapes were inspired by photographs in the book Seeds: Time Capsules of Life by Rob Kessler, which feature magnified seeds as biological structures and forms of sculpture. The wrapped and assembled forms also reflect each person’s capacity to identify with seeds that shape their worlds. On display is a representation of seed biodiversity in a myriad of configurations that reflect the people who made them.

 

Keep an eye out for more about Pamela’s project in the coming weeks!

 

The AHRC IAA Practice-Based Researcher in Residence Programme 2024-25 aligns with the 175th anniversary celebrations for the Belfast School of Art – with partnerships forming one of the core themes of the birthday celebrations.

 

Void Art Centre is kindly supported by Arts Council Northern Ireland, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Future Screens NI, Garfield Weston, Ulster University, Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, and the Henry Moore Foundation.

 

The Belfast School of Art is the oldest provider of design education on the island of Ireland as well as being one of the oldest creative art schools in the UK. 2024 marks its 175th anniversary.