Bob Verschueren (Belgium) – XV/08
Returning to Royal Botanical Gardens to participate in the Winter EarthArt exhibit, Bob Verschueren collected cattails from the marshes on RBG grounds to express the beauty and fragility of nature in his piece, XV/08.
Walking the RBG trails, Verschueren observed cattails bent and slumped over; a natural response to their surroundings.
Before starting a piece, Verschueren creates a bond with his material by first asking the plant what it can do for him. Being able to work in unison with his materials is key.
Bob first experimented in the RBG shop, making sure that the plant would reflect his vision in a natural way.
The theme of Verschueren’s piece is nature and architecture coming together. The powerful columns – similar to trees – are balanced with the fragility of the layered cattails flowing gracefully down the stark white wall.
“Nature is extremely fragile,” says Verschueren, “precious.” This was his motive in selecting such a delicate material to work with.
The eight rows of cattails begin in the shape of a bow at the top of the wall, continuing downward, transforming into a straight line. The design takes on a circular appearance, echoing the man-made columns and creating a marriage of architecture and nature.
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