‘Vanishing Forest’ immersive art installation unveiled at Brighton Museum
Brighton & Hove Museums (B&HM) yesterday unveiled a captivating new art installation, Vanishing Forest which explores the fragility of nature through a stunning metal woodland tunnel in Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. Created by artists Natalie Bradwell and George Sworder of The Iron Lady | Bradwell Blacksmiths, the unique artwork was commissioned by B&HM after urgent repairs to the roof of Brighton Museum & Art Gallery were planned.
As the work will mean the 20th Century Gallery is closed for around 10 months and surrounded by hoarding, B&HM decided to invite artists to create artworks to keep the museum culturally interesting in two separate spaces. Following a call out for pitches, over 90 artists, illustrators and creatives answered with a dizzying array of ideas. The selected artists, Brighton-based Soofiya and artists in metal Natalie Bradwell and George Sworder were chosen for their thought-provoking designs.
Soofiya, a Brighton illustrator, artist, and tutor, will soon unveil a large multi-coloured mural titled Brighton is… celebrating the city’s diverse people, communities, and landmarks.
Metalworkers Natalie Bradwell, known as The Iron Lady and George Sworder have created a nine-metre steel tunnel called Vanishing Forest, exploring the wildlife and nature of Sussex woodland and the effects of climate change on the environment. The tunnel is an immersive audio-visual journey through a changing landscape celebrating animals, birds and insects found on the South Downs.
As you journey deeper through the tunnel lifelike sculptures of deer, beetles, and other creatures fill the space, celebrating biodiversity. Along the way, 16 handmade lanterns with delicate leaf designs filter sunlight, casting enchanting patterns across the forest floor, creating a magical atmosphere.
However, as you progress, the environment gradually shifts. The once-abundant forest begins to lose some of its diversity. This is reflected in the lessening intricacy of the metalwork and a darkening of the environment, and the once-abundant sounds of life fade into silence. This transformation represents the decline in biodiversity and the pressing need for conservation.
Head of Marketing, Digital and Communications Kate Turnbull said: “We were absolutely blown away by the response to our artist call-out for this unique project at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery. “The standard was extremely high, making our decision very difficult, but that really reflects just what a creative and imaginative city Brighton & Hove is. “Vanishing Forest is absolutely inspired and we are thrilled to see this intricate metal artwork come to life. We can’t wait for visitors to experience these two remarkable installations this Autumn.”
Natalie known as the Iron Lady, is an experienced artist and blacksmith based in Worthing. She has previously created large-scale art projects for Farnham Maltings, alongside private art commissions for many happy clients and won the DYCP Arts Council grant in 2023. George Sworder is an artist and jeweller based in Hove. Her work in metal and jewellery is inspired by native flora from her time living in Australia. She previously worked on large-scale interactive art events with her artist collective Shambush at Tate Britain. Artist Natalie Bradwell said: “George and I are very happy to have been selected for this commission. As Brighton University art graduates, it means a lot and feels like a real privilege.”
You can follow the progress of the roof project in Brighton & Hove Museum’s website and social media for regular updates about the work and progress. https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/brighton-museum-art-gallery/
Brighton & Hove Museums is a registered charity that relies on donations, grants and admission to operate its five heritage venues which include the Royal Pavilion & Garden, Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, Preston Manor & Garden, Booth Museum of Natural History and Hove Museum of Creativity.
