Described by the artist as a ‘land drawing’, Priory Maze: The Garden of International Friendship by Kate Whiteford engages both historical fact and poetic fiction. This sunken garden is planted with contrasting box hedging and white gravel to form a section of a maze. It is best viewed from the curved glass bridge by Alexander Beleschenko that connects with the garden, or from the inner ring road which soars overhead.
‘The garden is intended to have a dynamic intervention with the surroundings. It can be enjoyed as a playful interactive space. It should also provide a place for reflection, to encourage visitors to remember the wider history of the area – not only the terrible devastation of the World War II and its aftermath, but also the peaceful contemplative life of its monastic past'. Kate Whiteford
Embedded into the walls of the garden are poems by David Morley, developed and written through discussion with the local community.
This work is part of the Phoenix Initiative Public Art Programme, curated and managed by Modus Operandi.
