Spheres of Influence
Sir Isaac Newton’s Third Law is most famously demonstrated by Newton’s Cradle, where the swing of a suspended metal ball shows how, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the Centre Dome of Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, floral alchemist Larry Walshe has created a magnificent aerial display that merges these laws of physics and mechanics with those of botany, zoology and anthropology – the perfect response to a brief that called for an installation on the theme of Science of Design. In this daring show of unconventional floral artistry, five magnificent 1.5m Perspex spheres have been filled with items from a cabinet of curiosities including a crane, a skull, flowers, butterflies and scarab beetles, which have been handmade from colourful wallcoverings. The planting features silver birch, eucalyptus, asparagus and grasses – a tapestry of different forms and textures that ensures that there’s something intriguing to view from every angle.
