TOAST rewilding winner

TOAST REWILD EXHIBIT - Marylebone, London
excerpt from TOAST magazine below:
This season we look to the natural world, seeking our own inner connection and response to the wild that surrounds us.

To celebrate this, we invited you to share your responses to our seasonal theme, Rewilding, through a piece of artwork or photograph. We saw a range of wonderful, creative works that captured the push and pull of nature or were inspired by the living world. 

The winning entry came from London-based artist Zena Holloway. Zena captured her fascinating root sculptures in ethereal photographs. Below, she gives further insight into her winning work, which will be displayed in the window of a TOAST shop. We also talk to the two runners-up, Vivienne Schadinsky and Carmel Lousada, about the inspiration behind their pieces, which will also be displayed. Then, there are words from three of our finalists. 

Zena Holloway - Winner

In 2018 I grew the first root test with grass seed and I’ve been growing roots ever since; I’m currently on planting test number 98. It takes just 12 days for the wheat grass seed to grow long enough to be harvested into structures and wearables. The ingredients are just seed, water and a little time. Water run-off is captured and reused so water consumption is kept to a minimum. There are no pollutants during the process and all the ingredients are 100% natural and compostable.

I’m a self-taught London artist and photographer generally found working in underwater environments. My photographic practice focuses on environmental issues that connect people to oceans, rivers and lakes. While roots nourish and sustain plants and trees on land, coral reefs do the same for the oceans, providing an ecosystem that supports a quarter of all marine life. I use biomimicry to grow coral shapes and textures in a bid to champion ocean conservation and expose the beauty and vulnerability of coral in light of recent bleaching events. I hope it will inspire us to rewild our oceans.