The Hive

LondonLife – Christmas lights up at Kew…

by exploringlondon

kewaMore than 60,000 lights are being used to illuminate Kew Gardens this Christmas in a mile long trail through the foliage. The trail features eight newly commissioned installations from UK and international artists including Bloom – a display of 1,700 swaying flowers by the group Squidsoup (above), and the roaring scented Fire Garden – a display themed around the Twelve Days of Christmas by And Now: (pictured below are three French hens from the installation). The trail also features Wolfgang Buttress’ bee-inspired installation, known as the The Hive (pictured second below), which has been lit with 1,000 LEDs that pulsate and glow against the night sky, and finishes with an “explosion” of brightly coloured laser beams across the Palm House Pond (pictured third below). There’s also a panto featuring Santa and his elves and a Victorian carousel. The night lights can be seen until 2nd January. Admission charge applies (and there’s timed entry). Kew is also running a program of family-oriented Christmas activities during the day across the period. For more, see www.kew.org. PICTURES: Jeff Eden, RBG Kew.

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LondonLife – The Hive arrives at Kew…

by exploringlondon

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An award-winning art installation exploring the world of the British bee has been installed at Kew Gardens in west London. Designed by artist Wolfgang Buttress and created by BDP, Simmonds Studio and Stage One, the Hive was the centrepiece of the UK Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo and has become the first British pavilion to be brought home and reused. The 17 metre-high, 40 tonne installation, which has been set in a flower meadow, twists into the sky suggesting the shape of a swarm of bees. Inside, thousands of flickering LED lights create a sense of what life is like inside a beehive while a soundtrack inspired by the deep humming of the bees fills the air. Both sound and light inside the hive will change in intensity as energy levels in a real beehive located elsewhere in the gardens changes, providing a unique insight into life inside a bee colony. Between 2nd July and 30th October, the installation is being accompanied by a ‘Pollination Trail’ across the gardens which explores the relationship between bees and plants and a series of specially trained ‘hive explainers’ will also be on hand inside The Hive. The gardens are also hosting a series of special talks, films, workshops and ‘lates’ as well as special, family-oriented events. For more see, www.kew.org. PICTURES: Jeff Eden, RBG Kew.

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