The Hut is a living willow structure installed in the community garden of Mud Island, North Strand, Dublin 3. This installation is part of a series, The Hut being the largest of the sculptures which is inspired by French Philosopher Gaston Bachelard’s book “The Poetics of Space” which examines nests and shells as safe places: ‘an empty shell, like an empty nest, invites day-dreams of refuge.’

 

This woven willow hut is modelled on the structure of a mollusc but also is reminiscent of early forms of human shelters; a beehive hut or a crannóg and it’s construction aims to reconnect our habitats back to nature. The willow harvested from Newgrange was woven into a human-size liveable nest and will be added to later in the year with living willow fronds allowing for the piece to continue to grow into a permanent living installation.

 

As the structure is currently absent of the living branches, it has been wrapped in yarn until the Spring when the new sprigs will take over creating a natural canopy in place of the wool. The film documents the making of the hut, the community of growers who were involved in it’s making, and a collage of archival animated and live action footage.