4 April 2022
6 Reasons to visit: Zadok Ben-David’s Natural Reserve at Kew
See this stunning exhibition before it’s too late.
Award-winning artist Zadok Ben-David is widely acclaimed for his sculptures, installations, and public artworks.
His latest exhibition Natural Reserve is on display in our Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art.
Free to visit with your ticket to Kew, you can see Natural Reserve until 24 April 2022.
Here’s 6 reasons you should catch it before it’s gone.
1. The incredible 360-degree installation, Blackfield, is made of 17,000 hand-painted flowers.
‘That is phenomenal, I wasn’t expecting that!’, a visitor exclaims, beaming in delight as he makes his way around Zadok Ben-David’s stunning Blackfield.
The 17,000 handmade and hand-painted stainless-steel flowers that make up this unique installation are based on drawings from 19th Century Victorian encyclopaedias.
The flowers represent 900 plant species, and one tonne of sand keeps the artworks in place.
2. It took over 100 Kew volunteers eight days to construct
We have around 700 wonderful volunteers at Kew. Working with the artist, it took over 100 of them eight days to bring Blackfield to life.
Volunteers said that there was a real camaraderie between them and noted that working alongside Zadok Ben-David helped to foster a connection to the artist.
'It was exciting to work together on such a large installation, a feeling that mounted as the days wore on and the artwork took shape,’ said volunteer Nancy Purser.
Read more about how Kew volunteers brought Blackfield to life
3. You’ll find your own meaning in the magic
Kew Galleries Manager, Victoria Kew, said that visitors find their own meaning in the work. Some see winter turning to spring, others see wildfires clearing the way for wildflowers.
‘A lot of people get emotional because they see a mental health interpretation,’ said Kew. ‘You could be in the darkest of places, and then you come to the colour — there is another side. That resonated with people as we emerge from the pandemic.’
This piece embodies both tragedy and hope: meet some of the plants that have been lost to, or saved from, the human impact on nature.
4. People from around the world left messages with the flowers, and we’ll leave our own when we send them on
Blackfield has been exhibited to critical and public acclaim in 20 countries worldwide.
‘When we unpacked the boxes we found messages from other galleries along with the flowers, things like ‘Hello from Sydney,’ said Arabella.
When it is time to pack the flowers carefully away again, Kew will be sending its own message along, and maybe a pressed flower or two.
5. Spot the difference: the largest piece is 450cm and the smallest is 1cm
Ben-David’s work oscillates between delicate miniature-works and monumental installations.
Winter Lights, a huge steel structure outside the gallery, takes the form of a tree comprising of interlinked human silhouettes. It rusts when exposed to the elements and stands at a mighty 4.5m tall!
The smallest piece in the exhibition, a tiny stainless-steel carrot, measures just over 1cm.
Volunteer Arabella Morgan, who helped to construct the installation, said ‘some of the pieces are tiny, no more than one centimetre high; if you weren’t careful, they could catch in your sleeves or hair and fall to the ground.’
Be sure to spot them when you visit.
6. Photographs don’t do it justice
You really must see this exhibition in person, as photos just don’t do justice to the experience.
‘So many visitors say this is my second time, third time, fourth time and that they’re desperate to come back to share the experience with their friends,’ said Victoria Kew.
Feeling inspired? You have until 24 April 2022 to see Natural Reserve.
