In collaboration with Drawing Matter, a multi-disciplinary forum explores the half-place that exists between place and imagination, between objectivity and impossibility, truth and myth, the tangible and the ephemeral; charting places that were, are, and could be.

The forum presents a day of conversations, anchoring around the exhibition alongside a hand-curated selection of original drawings from the Drawing Matter archive, including works by Zaha Hadid, Peter Wilson, Guy Debord and Madelon Vriesendorp. Participants from the worlds of architecture, landscape, painting, geography, technology and film will share perspectives and possibilities of drawing as world-building. Talks, discussions, performances and film screenings will move through the gardens and greenhouse spaces throughout the day.

Conversations will expand beyond traditional map-making conventions and mediums to consider experimental drawing methods including notation, translation, film screenings, performance, fiction and sound; practices that provoke the imagination and inhabit the “mind’s eye”. How does the language of cartography curate and shape the way in which we imagine, and how do we begin to chart and document spaces and territories that exist primarily in the mind?  

The Day

The day will navigate across four terrains, weaving between the greenhouses and gardens:

I. Lines that lead / Footsteps that follow: Conversations in the greenhouse

II. Retracing familiar ground: The Drawing Board, featuring original drawings from the Drawing Matter archive.

III. Worlds that whisper / Tales that tell: Films and objects

IV. Guides for getting lost: Poetry and Performance in the garden

Conversations will led by Niall Hobhouse, Nat Chard and Dr David Roberts. Speakers include:

Kirsty Badenoch

Dr Penelope Haralambidou

Eloise Maltby Maland

Charnjeev Kang

Sayan Skandarajah

Saskia Olde Wolbers

ScanLab Projects 

Doug Specht  

Llew Watkins

Dr Izabela Wieczorek  

The Drawing Board

The forum anchors around a hand-curated selection of original drawings from the Drawing Matter archive, including works by Zaha Hadid, Peter Wilson, Guy Debord and Madelon Vriesendorp. 

Drawing Matter is a public forum for examining the architectural drawing as an active way of thinking about, expressing and making architecture. Niall Hobhouse established the working collection 25 years ago, containing thousands of drawings, sketchbooks and models, dating from the sixteenth century to the present.

Student Discount

A 15% discount for currently enrolled students is available using the Promo Code "STUDENT". Please note that a valid student ID will be required to be shown upon entry.

A Culinary Journey

A delicious menu of seasonal home-grown vegetarian food and refreshments will be served throughout the day, curated by Omved’s creative food team and led by Jo March. 

Webinar

On Wednesday 14th July, a webinar will build on the themes discussed in the forum, expanding our conversations to international speakers. The purchase of a forum ticket also includes access to the webinar, which will be streamed live 19:00-20:30 GMT.

Book

The accompanying Cartographies of the Imagination book will be available to buy at the venue, or can be pre-ordered with your ticket booking to collect in-person.

Project/exhibition information: www.cartographiesoftheimagination.com

Drawing Matter: www.drawingmatter.org

Artists and curators: www.kirstybadenoch.com / www.sayanskandarajah.com

Exhibition design: www.PiM.studio

Venue: www.omvedgardens.com

Health and Safety

The venue continues to adhere to the most current Covid governmental guidelines, with reduced capacity and social distancing measures ensured, alongside monitoring additional precautions.