The Mount – in White Review/Lawrence Lek collaboration ‘Pyramid Schemes’

I’m so pleased that a piece of text I submitted to ‘The White Review’ earlier this year was accepted for inclusion in Lawrence Lek’s installation and artist’s book, Pyramid Schemes.

This is how the work is described:

Artist, Lawrence Lek curated around fifty texts, presenting them as a fictional cityscape. Lek’s installation went on show in May 2013 at ‘The White Building’ in Hackney Wick, London. My short piece was part of all this.

The texts are also produced in a rather wonderful expanding book. A book of shapes and worlds.

My piece is actually about ‘The Mount’ a derelict Edwardian manor house in my home village of Bishopstoke. The Mount is currently undergoing redevelopment and has become part of a retirement village. I walk the dogs there frequently and have seen it change over the years. I often used to wander around the grounds imagining what it might become.

Originally the gardens were landscaped and included an elaborate water gardens, a complex pumping system, orchard, ornamental trees and rose garden. The remains of all this can be seen if you struggle through the rhododendrons, bamboo and Japanese knotweed. It is absolutely fascinating. You come across great trees, giant redwoods even, water reservoirs, overgrown waterfalls, ancient terraces and grand paths, derelict machine houses and ponds, even an ornamental island. The owner was a great plant collector and had elaborate greenhouses and aviaries.

As an addendum to all this, I must add that since the redevelopment, two especially valiant new residents have taken on the task of taming the woodland and uncovering many of the paths and features. It’s a massive job, and I have every admiration for their work.

Here is a photo I took a few years ago, before redevelopment.,

Here is an old postcard of The Mount in its heyday.

Anyway, the work can be viewed online along with lots of photos of the event. My piece is here (no.14) Or here is a new link to the book.