Gardens in Fiction, Fiction in Gardens with Harun Morrison

The artist Harun Morrison is developing a database of descriptions of gardens in fiction, including novels, stories and songs from multiple eras and geographies. This so far includes excerpts from Mena Kasmiri Abdullah, Isabella Allende and Italo Calvino.

This workshop invites participants to bring a description of a fictional garden from Scottish literature. Together we will collectively read selected passages and treat them as seeds to germinate our own texts.

This workshop is for anyone interested in collective reading, writing and the relationship between literature and gardens. No writing experience is necessary. The session will include refreshments and will take place outdoors in the garden, so please wear sturdy footwear and weatherproof clothing.

About Harun Morrison

Harun Morrison is an artist and writer based on the inland waterways. Across 2021 - 2022 Harun was Designer and Researcher in Residence at V&A Dundee. His forthcoming novel, The Escape Artist will be published by Book Works in 2023. Since 2006, Harun has collaborated with Helen Walker as part of the collective practice They Are Here. Recent commissions include I’ll Bring You Flowers (2019), Survival Kit 10, Riga, Laughing Matter (2018) at Studio Voltaire, the performance 40 Temps, 8 Days (2017) at Tate Modern and Beacon Garden (2018 - 2020), a commission to co-design and community build a public garden in Dagenham, East London. This summer, Harun continues to develop and repair a garden for Mind Sheffield, a mental health support service, as part of the Art Catalyst research programme Emergent Ecologies. Harun is currently exhibiting Dolphin Head Mountain at the Horniman Museum in South London, co-commissioned by Delfina Foundation. From 2019 - 2022, Harun was a trustee of the Black Cultural Archive.

About the project

Wild Seed is a project organised by Glasgow Seed Library, part of Scotland’s Year of Stories, inspired by Octavia Butler’s epic speculative novel of the same name. Writers, folklorists and artists lead a series of storytelling workshops inspired by the practices, cultures and histories of seed saving, plant stewardship and earth care. The project will culminate with the creation of a publication of texts, poems, songs and images.

Credits

This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

Access Information

The community garden is largely wheelchair accessible with accessible toilet facilities, though there is some uneven ground and an incline. There is funding to support additional access requirements, such as BSL interpretation or travel costs – please email glasgowseedlibrary@cca-glasgow.com to make a request, or specify when you book your place.