News/Reviews
Garden Design Journal on Archival Editions by Northfield Editions - Mon, 18th July 11
Garden Design Journal editor Sarah Giles interviews Allan Pollok-Morris and writes about the hand made archival book editions made by Northfield Editions:
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The American Association of Landscape Architects on 'Close' - Thu, 10th March 11
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The Landscape Institute on 'Close' - Thu, 10th March 11
James Cash writes about 'Close: Landscape Design and Land Art in Scotland'
The Landscape Institute article on 'Close'
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Washington Post Review 'Close' Exhibition and Book - Sat, 26th February 11
Adrian Higgins at the Washington Post reviews 'Close' exhibition and book.
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Reckless Gardener interview Allan Pollok-Morris - Sat, 19th February 11
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Roll Call review 'Close' - Sat, 19th February 11
Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill review 'Close' US Botanic Garden 'Close exhibition and book
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'Close: A journey in Scotland' United States Botanic Garden - Fri, 7th January 11
22nd of January - 5th of June 2011
A new exhibition in the USBG in the heart of the Smithsonian complex on Capitol Hill. 50 large format photographs by Allan Pollok-Morris from the Northfield Editions book 'Close' celebrating the important role of Landscape Design and Land Art in international Arts and Culture.
United States Botanic Garden Press Release
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Stephen Anderton on 'Close' in the Times newspaper - Sun, 21st November 10
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United States Botanic Garden Exhibition - Sun, 24th October 10
We have received an exciting invitation to travel the exhibition 'Close: A journey in Scotland' by Allan Pollok-Morris to the United States Botanic Garden on Capitol Hill, Washington DC. A large space will show an exhibition of photography and film from the book 'Close' and the USBG will host a set of talks. More info will be posted closer to Christmas here and on the Northfield Editions Facebook page.
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BBC Gardens Illustrated 'Close' Gallery online - Tue, 28th September 10
BBC Gardens Illustrated Online
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Garden Design Journal Review of 'Close' - Fri, 27th August 10
Catherine Heatherington reviews 'Close: Landscape Design and Land Art in Scotland' the Garden Design Journal September issue:
'Allan Pollok-Morris' book is structured around the idea of the journey north - starting in Dumfriesshire with Jim Buchanan's emphemeral labyrinths drawn in the sand and washed away by the next tide, and finally arriving at Dunbeath Castle in North-East Scotland, photographed in an ominous half-light, solid and unchanging on a cliff edge and sheltering a garden designed by Xa Tollemache. The journey travels through gardens, sculptures and land art created in diverse locations from small unremarkable urban spaces to massive, wild and evocative landscapes where they battle 100 mph winds. There is an occasional detour to a Hebridean island and a visit to the Sculpture Park of Jupiter Artland. There are gardens exposed to the full force of the weather and others sheltered by high walls and hedges.
This is an art book on two levels (maybe even three if the wonderful, clear design, and illustration by Gary Hincks and Richard Demarco are included). First there are Pollok-Morris' evocative photographs, which in their turn record works of art - gardens, land art and sculpture. Pollok-Morris sees his work as documentary, creating images that speak of the designers' intentions rather than adding his own layers to the scene. In each photo he tries to experience 'the place in the whole of the moment'. Usually there are no people although there are sometimes, wonderfully quirky portraits of the designers - Gerald Laing pedaling his 'water bike' along a pond, for instance.
'Close', the title of this collection, is a Scottish word to describe a landscape where heaven feels close to the earth. Pollok-Morris shows us a Scotland of dark clouds, light filtering through trees, the glimmer of mountains and cityscapes on the horizon and often the sea or loch, unusually still and reflective. In many of the photos, the tension is in this glimpse of the landscape outside the garden, in the juxtapositions between culture, art and the wildness. This is not about 'borrowed landscape', it is much more about contrasts, about making the elements visible and visceral; the gardens are not separate from their surroundings but nor are they fully integrated into it.
For the reader who wants words as well as images, each artist and designer writes about their work, and there are detailed captions easily accessible at the back of the book. If you are lucky enough to be travelling west to Chicago this summer you can see Pollok-Morris' photographs at the Botanic Gardens (until 26 September). Otherwise you can experience the journey north through the pages of this exceptional book.'
Catherine Heatherington MSGD http://www.chdesigns.co.uk/
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Country Life Magazine Review - Fri, 13th August 10
Mary Miers, Art Director of Country Life Magazine reviews 'Close: Landscape Design and Land Art in Scotland' in issue out August 11th:
'Accompanying an exhibition of his work in the Chicago Botanic Garden (until the end of September), photographer Allan Pollok-Morris has produced an updated and more splendid edition of his 2008 book, with foreword by Sir Roy Strong and an essay by Tim Richardson.
Charting a five-year Scottish odyssey, it explores new works by landscape designers and land artists, from Charles Jencks's Garden of Cosmic Speculation and Nicky and Robert Wilson's Jupiter Artland, to less-known projects such as Zara Milligan's Dunesslin in Dumfriesshire, Peter Cool's Jura House Garden and Roscher & Rankin's Hidden Garden Glasgow.
The photographs convey the genius loci, the challenge and texture of weather and landscape and the emotions of designers and land artists, whose portraits and written descriptions he includes.'
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BBC Gardens Illustrated August issue review by John Hoyland - Sat, 31st July 10
'Close: Landscape Design and Land Art in Scotland'
'Scotland, home to some of the world's great gardens and plant collections, has long been ...ignored by the London-based book-publishing industry. With 'Close', photographer Allan Pollok-Morris has taken a big step towards filling this gap.
The book focuses on modern gardens and landscapes, and on the artists and designers who have created them. Two of Britain's most important contemporary gardens, Little Sparta and the Garden of Cosmic Speculation, are in Scotland. Pollok-Morris shows that these are just part of the country's dynamic garden-making, ranging from the conceptualist design of Glasgow's Hidden Gardens project to the exuberant plantings in the gardens at Cambo House in Fife.
The photographs of the gardens and landscapes are sumptuous. Pollok-Morris also displays his skills as an accomplished portrait photographer, presenting a series of garden-makers in their gardens.'
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The Times - Mon, 14th June 10
Annie Gatti on 'Close: Landscape Design and Land Art in Scotland'
'The garden’s [Jupiter Artland] works of art are gloriously captured in both summer and winter by the photographer Allan Pollok-Morris in his new book on Scottish gardens and land art.'
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Magazine Features with outakes from 'Close' - Thu, 10th June 10
Garden Design Journal May and June issues, photographs of the work of Alec Finlay and The Hidden Gardens in Glasgow from the 2nd Edition of 'Close: Landscape Design and Land Art in Scotland' featured in the Garden Design Journal
House and Garden March - Photographs of Jutpiter Artland from the forthcoming 'Close' exhibition and book featured in House and Garden with preview information and contributors interview with Allan Pollok-Morris
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Jupiter Artland opening with 'Close' as book for 2010 - Sat, 15th May 10
15th May Jupiter Artland Edinburgh open with 'Close: Landscape Design and Land Art in Scotland' as their 'guide' for 2010: http://www.jupiterartland.org
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Book of the month @ Beyond Words - Tue, 11th May 10
Beyond Words, the Edinburgh based online photographic book retailer are the first retailer in the UK to receive stock of the new edition of 'Close' and they have kindly made it their book of the month http://www.beyondwords.co.uk
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Launch of 2nd edition of 'Close' in Chicago. - Sun, 25th April 10
Launch of 2nd edition of 'Close' in Chicago.
24th April Hardback book 'Close: Landscape Design and Land Art in Scotland' launches at the Chicago Botanic Garden: http://enssc.com/Products.aspx?store=551&product=241818
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Chicago Exhibition - Sat, 24th April 10
24th April - 26th September 'Close: A Journey in Scotland' opens in Chicago Botanic Garden, 50 prints by photographer Allan Pollok-Morris and film by Northfield Editions http://www.chicagobotanic.org/pr/events/
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1st edition news - Fri, 5th March 10
Some news and reviews for the 1st edition of the hard back book 'Close' in advance of the second edition in April. A limited edition of the last 50 signed 1st editions is available on our book pages.
1'st edition reviews:
'Though I go there every year, I'm an interloper in Scotland, but this beautifully made book made me feel as homesick as if it were my own country too.'
Anna Pavord, The Independent Magazine
'One has the sense that really good garden photographers are born, not made... This seems to be the case with Allan Pollok-Morris... This is the book of the exhibition and it is a fine artifact in its own right.'
The Daily Telegraph
'One of my favourite books of this year, photographer Allan Pollok-Morris's love letter to landscape art in Scotland, from unusual gardens like Little Sparta and the Hidden Gardens at Tramway in Glasgow, to work by artists such as Andy Goldsworthy and Jim Buchanan. It's a beautiful book that captures both the wildness and tranquillity of this country."
The Scotsman Arts & Culture.
'Most of these new gardens are green and tranquil; some, such as Charles Jencks's and Ian Hamilton Finlay's, are philosophical; and the worst thing you can say about this book is that it makes you want to go and visit them all.'
The Herald
'There is a sense of grand endeavour that stands out on every page.'The Sunday Times 'In the short accompanying texts Pollok-Morris has elicited some personal and profound thoughts. Andy Goldsworthy, creating a cairn for his local village, reveals that he feels self-conscious about working so prominently in his home place. Dr Thomas Smith in Aberdeen has thought deeply about the meaning of gardens and what they provide.'
Journal of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, Bicentenary edition
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