pool burn lock and sluice

This year we launched a new residency programme, and partnered with Little Sparta to support the creation of collaborative, poetry-led performance work inspired by Little Sparta’s gardens and the work of Ian Hamilton Finlay more broadly.

Our residents, Iain Morrison and Corin Sworn have been exploring the enclosed world of Little Sparta. The poet and artist duo grew fascinated by the flow of water through the garden as a way of understanding the site. Soon they were discovering the challenges of keeping this living artwork in good health during ongoing climate catastrophe. In this performance, they share the poems and artwork that have come out of their time at Little Sparta. Expect watery flows of language and blurring of image and text as they lead you through an experience of a garden where a cheeky dog steals unwary visitors’ croissants and no single shaping of the garden stays settled for very long amid its interplay of intentional and unintentional design.

We’ll also hear a talk on Ian Hamilton Finlay and Little Sparta by journalist and writer Magnus Linklater, and there will be a chance for questions at the end of the performance.

Supported by the Estate of Ian Hamilton Finlay