Unknown ground
with Grant Simon Rogers
Every now and then, a short comment will appear under a photograph I post on Instagram. “Keep sharing the beauty” is the simple message of encouragement – not so much a pat on the back as a call-to-arms for those of us who find joy and wonder in the natural world, and persist in posting what we see in the face of whatever might be going on in our lives or in the wider world. Grant Simon Rogers is well placed to be able to offer such advice and encouragement – the former London-based artist and photographer, with thirty plus years in museum education, has spent much of his working life confronting the stark realities of crimes against humanity, set against which such expressions might seem at the least ineffectual, perhaps trite. Quite the reverse, he argues, as can be seen in his photographs of flowers and trees, often exhibited under the title Terra Incognita (unknown ground). Now resident in Berlin, Grant tells me of the cathartic value of his photography walks through the city and how, while his work contains an implicit narrative, like Keats’ Grecian urn, the message concerns nothing more than the beauty of the subject.
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st,
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”
Ode on a Grecian Urn, John Keats
Copyright © Grant Simon Rogers
It’s the beauty in the small details all around that I find so inspiring – in the often overlooked bits, the freshness and zest for life shown by the humblest of weeds in a corner, or anchored in a crack in the paving. I worry that in continuing to strive for something new, somewhere else to be, we miss out on a thorough knowledge of the ground beneath our feet. Unknown ground over there is seductive, but in getting to know the ground under our feet lies the key to fulfilment, I’d argue. And so I love to find artists and writers who cherish observation – often of apparently insignificant or humble details – which is one of the many reasons I’m grateful for the work of nature writer Robert MacFarlane, particularly his collecting of words related to the natural world and the landscape which are in danger of being lost to the language, but are brilliantly and minutely descriptive in a way that’s seems to be increasingly uncommon in these doubleplus ungood days. There’s a micro review of his wonderful book Landmarks in this episode, (extract read by Rachel Coldbreath).
I hope you enjoy this episode – please continue to share the podcast on social media, and if you’d really like to brighten my day, leave a review on iTunes or your podcast app of choice. Or drop me a note in the comments section below, having listened on the embedded player on this page.
Gardens, weeds and words podcast, S02E02 show notes
A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.
These notes may contain affiliate links.
Garden soundtrack
Soggy October.
Knowing a place, season to season.
The idea of UNKNOWN GROUND (Terra Incognita)
Reading 04:48
from Landmarks by Robert MacFarlane
https://amzn.to/2WgmH5N
Read by Rachel Coldbreath.
Interview with Grant Simon Rogers 06:46
07:14 "Keep sharing the beauty”
10:46 An introduction to Grant’s work
13:16 The importance of walking through the landscape – immersion or escape?
15:14 The process of taking (or making) a photograph
17:00 A cinematic quality
17:44 The representation of the human element
18:19 The reaction of the public during photography
19:14 London: Brockwell Park – Daphne and the Bad Wildlife
20:00 Learning trees
20:39 Favourite plants to photograph – individuals, or types?
22:14 Berlin: Tempelhof – grasses and birds of prey in the city
23:26 Documenting the wildlife, or passing through?
24:24 ‘Terra Incognita’ – always new ground? How well do we know the ground under our feet?
The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the younger.
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-ambassadors/bQEWbLB26MG1LA?hl=en-GB
27:19 A subtle approach to storytelling
I’m so grateful to Grant for making time to talk to us about how he works in and sees the landscape around him. You can find out more about Grant and see examples of his photographs on the following links:
Online
flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/grantsrogers/
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grantsimonrogers/
Exhibitions
The Last Supper,
42 Webb’s Road, SW11 6SF, London, +44 (0)742 763 6306 or +44 (0)207 223 8900
http://the-lastsupper.com/item/october-2018/
La Camera Chiara, Pestalozzistraße 13 / Berlin / 10625
https://www.lacamerachiara.de/ausstellungen/terra-incognita-02-11-07-12-2019/
With thanks to all my listeners for your continued support and reviews, I really do appreciate them. You can support the podcast by buying its producer a virtual cup of coffee for three quid, at https://ko-fi.com/andrewtimothyOB. Proceeds will go towards equipment, software and the monthly podcast hosting fees.
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Hello! I’m Andrew, gardener, writer, photographer, and owner of a too-loud laugh, and I’m so pleased you’ve found your way to Gardens, weeds & words. You can read a more in-depth profile of me on the About page, or by clicking this image.