As part of the London Festival of Architecture, this June, High Street Kensington is launching Rooted in Kensington – a FREE celebration of art, architecture and biodiversity and the intricate links between plants and people.
Located in and around Kensington’s Phillimore Walk, at the heart of the programme is the unveiling of ‘Tree Island’ – a new public art installation created by design specialists Toy Studio and the artist MAMIMU. Symbolising a ‘missing tree,’ the installation combines a central tree-like structure made from nine panels of birch plywood, each featuring facts and statistics relating to the natural world and its hidden symbiotic ecosystems. Beside the tree, the design morphs into seating for people to enjoy and contemplate the space they share with nature. Playful pops of colour have been incorporated into the design too, to reflect Kensington’s rich heritage, drawn from local landmarks including the turquoise of Leighton House, darks reds of Royal Albert Hall and subtle pinks of Kyoto Garden’s blossoms.
Rooted in Kensington also includes a new and easy-to-download audio tour, encouraging visitors to explore the destination’s many parks, green spaces and botanical features.
Plus, there’s the botanical market, a recently launched monthly event which next takes place on Saturday June 6th from 10.30am to 4.30pm – featuring a selection of plants, flowers and vintage garden furniture, plus talks and activities.
Visitors to the space can also enjoy artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg’s impressive pollinator pathway – a living art installation that while planted and cared for by humans, is very much created for pollinating insects.
For more information about Rooted in Kensington as well as updates, including information about the World Cup Street Festival taking place on Phillimore Walk on 27th June and the ever-popular Vintage Market, visit: https://highstreetkensington.co.uk
