Garden (2020)

"Garden is based on the cultivated landscape found on the island of Waiheke in New Zealand. Through the use of actual video footage, drone photography, 3D scanning and animation Garden alludes to the increasing presence of virtual experiences in 21st century life and raises questions around perception, authenticity and our ongoing and changing relationship with nature. The real is intermixed with computer generated interpretations. Periodically a small swaying figure wearing a tree hat appears in the video, suggesting a quiet reverence and longing for the natural world. The video focuses on specific gardens on Waiheke: the Sacred Blessing Sanctuary Garden, the Mudbrick Vineyard garden, the private garden of Graham and Jackie Guthrie and a commercial flower garden, Nourish Gardens, run by Christy Ralphs. The music Like the Bitter Rind of a Cucumber is by the Dunedin musician Alastair Galbraith."