Camp, Do We Go Around the Houses, or Do Houses Go Around Us? by Lucy Tomlins

About

By definition, a camp is a place of temporary residence – built of huts, tents, or other structural forms, typically used by soldiers, refugees, or travellers. For this installation, Lucy Tomlins presents a series of shelters made from mycelium, Portland stone and cob, offering an innovative way to bring together concerns around sustainable development through the material explorations and platform of contemporary sculpture.

The artwork is in a state of flux. Formed from materials with varying properties and states of permanence, throughout the duration of their exhibition these materials will continue to transform, the results as yet unknown.

The title of this artwork derives from Mario Merz’s sculpture ‘Igloo, Do We Go Around Houses, or Do Houses Go Around Us?’ (1977, reconstructed 1985), with this reference acting as a departure point from which to investigate how artists might use materials to underscore the key questions of sustainability in contemporary society.

“Should buildings be made out of materials designed to outlive their useful life? Should we return to traditional structures and techniques that are low cost but labour intensive with minimal environmental impact? How can we look to nature to lead innovation and create a healthier and more sustainable built environment?”