Earthward

The Earthwards pictures started by chance, when Steve Pyke was watching a gardener at work with his garden fork, and was struck by its simple beauty. Photographed at Great Dixter in East Sussex, England – home of the late Christopher Lloyd – garden tools are presented here as a celebration of the way things wear and how, over time and with use, they become seemingly “rounder.” Some of these tools were those used in the actual creation of the gardens, which were mostly designed by Edwin Lutyens almost a century ago. Their handles and prongs are beautifully worn, perfectly in keeping with the hard work and dedication involved in the making of this universally admired landscape. So much of what we see in the workplace today is about distancing ourselves from the end result of our labors; these garden tools, although depicted on their own, against a pale backdrop, convey an intense sense of physical engagement. Steve Pyke was born in England, where he has had a prolific and successful career working with many of the world’s leading magazines. Our third book with the artist, Earthwards is published to coincide with an exhibition of the work at Great Dixter in Winter 2008.