Published by Little Toller Books, designed by Matt Watkins Design, printed by Gomer Press
‘There is something profoundly moving about the idea of Reverse Sod Swap, both literally and metaphorically.’ Cornelia Parker, visual artist
For the British Sculpture Show at the Serpentine Gallery in 1983, artist David Nash created Sod Swap, a land art intervention which exchanged a circle of turf from his native North Wales with the lawn at London’s Kensington Gardens. Nash was exploring ideas of place and what sculpture could be. 40 years later, artist Mike Perry’ s Reverse Sod Swap is less concerned with the materiality of sculpture and more with Britain’s changing ecologies. By contrasting the loss of flora species in our farmed countryside with the enlightened rewilding our urban parks Perry’s work suggests wildness may need to be redefined.
David Nash installing original Sod Swap at Serpentine Gallery in 1983
Reverse Sod Swap tells the story of both works of art through illustration, photography and essays. Featuring previously unseen photographs and drawings from the original project and over 100 photographs of Reverse Sod Swap, the book also contains an interview with David Nash, now in his 80th year. Essayists include Nicholas Thornton, Ben Tufnell, Anna Souter, Richard Fisher, Lee Schofield.
Publishing 16th of October.
Full Colour Throughout.
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SKU: 9781915068668Categories: Uncategorized, Books, New Books, Artist Editions & Prints, Essays & Monographs
Sublime to Sod Swap, introductory essay by Nicholas Thornton, Head of Contemporary Art at National Museum Wales.
Robert Smithson at Pentre Ifan, Pembrokeshire, Wales 1969. Photographed by Nancy Holt and David Nash’s Ash Dome (1977- 2019)
Mike Perry marking out Reverse Sod Swap at Ffynnonofi farm , West Wales, 2024
Reverse Sod Swap at Ffynnonofi farm, photograph by Mike Perry
Interview between David Nash and Mike Perry shaped by David Alston
Flora species recorded by National Botanic Garden of Wales in the urban turf moved to Wales
David Nash’s conceptual drawings for Sod Swap in graphite and pigment, 1983
Mike Perry’s mapping grids laid over drone photographs to assist record the movement of flora over time
Documenting Reverse Sod Swap at Ffynnonofi farm during summer droughts
2026 Summer drought at Ffynnonofi far,, Wales.
Reverse Sod Swap during winter months at Ffynnonofi farm, Wales.
Photographs of Y Cae biodiversity test areas at Ffynnonofi farm. Y Cae is a 10 acre field used as the ‘control’ area for the flora species survey.
David Nash showing Mike Perry and Cornelia Parker the faint remains of David’s original Sod Swap at Cae’n y Coed in north Wales in 2023
Drone photographs through the seasons at Springfield Park, East London 2024/2025