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26

Apr 2022

Last Updated: 25/04/2022

Exhibition shows Fountains Abbey's natural and man-made beauty

by Thomas Barrett

| 26 Apr, 2022
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The exhibition is accompanied by a children's trail, which encourages young people to hunt for hidden faces in the bark of trees at the World Heritage Site near Ripon.

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Stunning images that capture the force, beauty and intricacy of nature at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Deer Park have gone on display.


The exhibition by renowned landscape photographer Joe Cornish, titled Still Time to Wonder, runs until October at the World Heritage Site near Ripon.

His photographs, taken in all seasons and weather conditions, explore the tactile beauty of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, including periods when the the site was in coronavirus lockdown.













Mr Cornish's work can be found at Fountains Mill and the follies throughout the water garden and a free exhibition map can be obtained at entrances.

The map will guide visitors on a journey that, through his lens, illustrates how both man and nature have sculpted the landscape.

From the elegant manicured surroundings of the water garden created in the early 18th century by the Aislabie family, to the naturally-formed designs found in fallen trees around the site.






In addition to the exhibition map, a trail has been created for children, which aims to engage their imaginations by encouraging them to explore  the whimsical themes in Mr Cornish's work, such as hunting for hidden weather-beaten faces found in the bark of trees.

The Fallen series focuses on a number of trees which have a powerfully sculptural quality. The title given to this aspect of the exhibition, acknowledges the on-going job they do, providing a refuge for many species of tiny creatures, fungi and microbial life. 











Exhibition locations


The Temple of Piety features four photographs exploring the reverence of some of the mature trees that can be found on the estate, while Fountains Mill is the location for images taken at moments rarely seen by visitors. captured at dawn, in twilight and the chaos and of a snowstorm.











Within the ornate alcoves of the Banqueting House there are two large-scale panoramic photographs of the sweeping views in the water garden and the Octagon Tower is the venue where visitors can  view a series of six photographs themed ‘The Fallen’.

These provide a close-up look at the shapes that nature formed over centuries, on trees felled by storms and other incidents, that remain in situ and provide a wildlife habitat for many different varieties  of creatures.




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