Rapture

Nymans, National Trust, Handcross, West Sussex
11 January – 5 July 2016

Inspired by the landscape of this world-renowned garden and its romantic ruins, Hadzi-Vasileva has worked closely with the property’s countryside team to source a 6 metre sweet chestnut tree from Nymans’ woodlands, felled during the great storm of 1987.

Over 4 months, Elpida worked in the Nymans woodland to strip back the bark and deadwood from her chosen tree and sculpt it into an elegant column, before gilding it fully with 23.5ct gold leaf. Standing high on the hillside, in sunlight the gilded tree drew people in from a distance, enhancing the dramatic views across the Weald.

Now Rapture has its permanent home in the Nymans woodlands, which is just a walk away from the House.