Bamboo as Method 格竹

2024. Somerset House, London.

BAMBOO AS METHOD 格竹, a site-specific and participatory installation in the form of a bamboo garden, is Zheng Bo’s first major public commission in London. Coinciding with Earth Day on April 22nd, it provides a tranquil place for contemplation within the urban landscape of central London, and proposes ways to deepen connections between humans and nature.

Responding to the neo-classical architecture of Somerset House that surrounds its courtyard, Zheng Bo invites visitors to temporarily disconnect from their fast-paced, hyper-connected lives by spending time sketching in the garden. The artwork’s title BAMBOO AS METHOD 格竹 pays homage to the late 15th-century philosopher, Wang Yangming. Wang’s pursuit of enlightenment through the practice of observation and investigation into the nature of things is a historical point of reference for Zheng’s meditative space. In the face of today’s screen-based digital culture and turbulent social-political times, the artist finds renewed importance in an analogue practice that encourages sustained patience and concentration. Zheng’s commission, as with their overall eco-queer practice, is aimed at making the relationship between humans and nature more intimate, and asking what we can learn from nature when we slow down and take the time to listen.

BAMBOO AS METHOD 格竹 features ten different locally-sourced species of bamboo that have been selected by the artist and arranged in a meandering pattern, maximising viewpoints and seating amongst the plants. Sketches made by visitors are drawn on biodegradable paper, and are submitted for composting to fertilise the garden – completing a cycle of creativity and ecology.