"All you need is a library and a garden." (Cicero)
Early in 2010 Jenny Lewis completed a four week residency at the stunningly beautiful Sanskriti Centre in New Delhi, where she and artist, printmaker and bookmaker Frances Kiernan worked with the distinguished poet, and organiser of the Delhi International Literary Festival, Sudeep Sen. Their intention was to explore, through poetry, imagery and visual art, the power of plants and nature to restore balance and heal the body and mind.
While Jenny was away, she sent home a poem from Delhi, originally published in Molossus; she also sent the following pictures from India:
Click the thumbnails to see larger pictures, with Jenny's commentary; or read on for what Jenny said about the project before her departure.
Jenny explains: "We will explore the medicinal plants of India and the UK and translate their healing properties into poetry and artworks which will result in an installation - to include words and imagery - at the Sanskriti Centre and other galleries, spaces and gardens.
"During our residency, which runs from December 27 2009 to January 24 2010, we will also be running workshops with the Katha School, Delhi ((which provides education for disadvantaged women and children) in writing poetry and in bookmaking - both of which will reflect the plants we are focusing on. The books will be used as part of the exhibition at Sanskriti Centre.
"On our return to the UK we will continue to develop our research. The final work will include limited edition etchings, prints and book art. We anticipate organising a book launch and poetry reading at each of the venues and we would hope to return to India in 2010/2011 to exhibit the results of our collaboration, maybe as part of the Delhi International Literary Festival.
"We were drawn to India as the starting point for our research because of the Ayurvedic tradition and the fact that both our fathers were in India for considerable amounts of time (in Deolali, Jaipur and Mussoorie) during the First and Second World Wars. This adds a personal connection to India which will enable us to explore concepts of history, psychology, heredity and the mysterious and transcendental nature of time."
Photograph of Jenny Lewis and Frances Kiernan © Paul Sanders