All images in this series are photographed from the same fixed observation point beneath the red-leafed beech approximately 13 metres from the sculpture. The repeated viewpoint creates a longitudinal visual record of environmental change, material weathering and seasonal transformation across the six-month installation period.
Week 1, Day 2, 15 May 2026. Note: today was overcast with breaks for sunshine. There was rain and hail and wind yet this image shows the sculpture has changed very little since yesterday. perhaps torus 2 is askew? (torus are numbered from left to right).Week 1, Day 3, 16 May 2026. Note: Another inclement day, but no noticeable destruction on the sculpture from the overnight rain and wind. I noticed today the torus were not moving as much as the surrounding branches and leaves. I checked the security of the rope and realigned the rope strands. The rope color is perfect to easily be camoflauged against the beam, giving the impressiono the torus sitting without restraint on the beam.Week 1, Day 4, 17 May 2026. Note: After I took this photo the sun was out and the park was full of visitors, at least 40 groups walked past the sculpture either along the path or on the open lawned area. Some stopped, some tripped over their dog as the sculpture caught their eye, others pointed to show their walking companion. The highlight was a group of young ladies that approached and pulled down on torus 1 to see if it would break, then proceeded to hang their torsos over torus 1, 2 and 3. Completing their inspection by trying to lift one of their number up to sit on torus 1 as a swing. That is the type of Public Engagement some sculptors only dream about! Torus 5 may be a little askew?Week 1, Day 5, 18 May 2026. Note: The sculpture today survived its first weekend. Saturday there is a run at Staunton with up to 100 people all passing by the sculpture and Sunday morning hosts free yoga on the park that many people use to start their day before a walk around the park. Its spring and Hampshire is in full bloom, so I imagined the weekend visitors could number in the 1000s. It is surprising the Sculpture shows no obvious signs of human interference resulting in break down! Lets see how it survives the next weekend of May when there is a long weekend.Week 1, Day 6, 19 May 2026.Note: a little sun brought many more people to the park. The path had groups of walkers many stopping and pointing it to their friends. Questions were thrown around.Week 1, Day 7, 20 May 2026. Note: I am surprised we made it a full week. I was surprised we didn’t loose some structural integrity in the first 24 hours – not because I doubt my capacity to build torus and weave without any reinforcement or my design for installation, but I had limited knowledge of the environmental factors at play, from animal engagement through to wind, rain and human interaction. There were rumours of vandals in the park at night! So to survive a full 7 days I am elated. There is very minor loss of vines and no detectable sign of movement along the beam. You can see for yourself. these photos were taken middle of the day from the same vantage point, using the same camera for all 7 days. But the question is what does it tell us about Systems and their translation into our human experience. I like to think this 7 days shows us the calm before the storm when we engage enthusiastically again with a new series of systems to navigate to archive our outcome, and they sit passively, dominant and calm, waiting for our engagement.
Weekly Capture
The following images represent weekly capture. Every Thursday for the next three weeks a photo is taken. Providing us a record of four weeks in a row. After 4 weeks I would expect some environmental degradation, perhaps some increase in human interaction that accelerates the breakdown of the torus and even perhaps animal engagement with the torus. Lets see.
Week 1, Thursday 14 May 2026 – Installation Day.
Week 2, Thursday 21 May 2026 (actually this was Friday 22nd – because Thursday was consumed preparing the signage of site!)
Week 3, Thursday 28 May 2026
Note: So excited to find some extension of Torus 1 and some serious unravelling of Torus 6. But each Torus is showing signs of looser weave at the base with Vines pointing out and falling to the ground. There is also some movement in the Jute on the branch suggesting movement of the Tori along the horizontal.
Week 4, Thursday 4 June 2026
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