Set in the 18th century, this narrative follows a Scottish plant collector whose groundbreaking botanical discoveries transformed European gardens. His passion for exploration and keen eye for unique flora led to significant contributions to horticulture, influencing garden design and plant cultivation across the continent. The book delves into his adventures, the challenges he faced, and the lasting impact of his work on the world of botany and gardening.
From the luminous colours of an idyllic childhood through the flamboyant hues of success and stardom, Cobain's story inevitably declines into a much darker palette. The script draws from the singer's tortured self-image as well as straightforward biographical fact so that the tone of the book fluctuates between subjective dream-state and objective reality. Much more than a biography, Godspeed is unlike anything you have read about Kurt Cobain before. Going beyond the facts, it transmutes Cobain's extraordinary life into an equally extraordinary work of art.
The book features extracts from explorers' diaries, enriched by a narrative that provides geographical, historical, and socio-political context. It focuses on the latter part of William McEwan's life, highlighting his arrival in Malawi, encounters with Swahili slave traders, and his photography experiments. Additionally, the writings culminate in a poignant account of McEwan's death as recounted by his companion, Donald Munro, offering a comprehensive view of his experiences and legacy.
This publication draws from the rich holdings of the British Council Collection and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh archives. On the Edge of the World is an inspiring glimpse into how the expeditionists of the past and contemporary artists of the present continue to delight and provoke us with their responses to plants, flowers and gardens. When Charles Darwin was 22 he embarked on a remarkable foreign adventure which changed the rest of his life. From his first steps in untouched tropical rainforest, to Tania Kovats' recent personal journey around South America with The Voyage of the Beagle as her trusty travelling companion, this publication uncovers our fascination with exploring the plant world from both artists' and scientists' perspectives. Included is material revealing the observations and drawings of explorers to South America, including specimens from Darwin and Gardner. As we struggle to make sense of changing landscapes and climates, today's artists assume the role of modern-day explorers. They are investigators of life, expressing as much about the fragility of our own existence as about the continuing importance to explore and preserve the natural world. Published on the occasion of the exhibition On the Edge of the World at the John Hope Gateway Gallery, Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, 15 May - 18 July 2010. English and Spanish text.