Peter Smith, pictured, is behind the ‘Beauty in the Broken’ initiative, part of the Stove Network’s ‘Atlas Pandemica’ project.
He has created a series of zen gardens that will be placed around the town and is looking for a people to volunteer to tend the gardens over the three weeks they are in situ.
Peter said: “The project looks at the way in which Covid-19 may have broken us, but there is always an opportunity to repair in a new, beautiful way. We don’t try to hide these breaks and damage, but we repair our town and community – creating something unique and powerfully beautiful.
“I see this project as a social ‘Kintsugi’ – a method of repairing broken things in a way that embraces flaws and imperfections – worked out through the mindful practice of rock gardens.”
The gardeners will regularly tend a set of sand and rock gardens throughout Dumfries every morning for 10-20 minutes. Rocks are placed on the field of sand and rakes are used to mark patterns and shapes into the sand. They will then be left for the day and a new design created the following day. Matt Baker, one of the curators of the Atlas Pandemica project, commented: ‘We were struck by the beautiful simplicity of Peter’s idea – it is both a solitary and communal experience, just like the pandemic.
“We hope the volunteer gardeners will feel that they are doing something in a quiet and understated way that is meaningful for themselves and the people who encounter the gardens as a trail through the town.”
This opportunity is open to anyone – you do not need to have any gardening experience or experience in the creative industries. The organisers are keen to include a diverse mix of people from the local community.
The gardens will go live over a three-week period, from January 18 to February 7 2021. The only requirement is availability every morning for 10-20 minutes and to be able to carry some hand tools.
If you would like to volunteer or for further information, email [email protected] by December 14.
