The Line has been commissioned by London City Airport to curate a new site-specific installation, Destination London, for the Airport’s International Arrivals corridor to welcome the millions of visitors arriving each year. For this commission, Anne Hardy has explored often overlooked flora in proximity to the airport, reflecting on London as a location for seeds from around the world to flourish. The commission, presented over five large walls, is a series of layered photograms which feature plant life collected from the surrounding locality, including the airport runway. 

As she explains, ‘The Thames connects us literally to past trade, and the people who have travelled here over its surface. The surrounding landscape of tidal flows and post-industrial development forms a kind of archaeology in flux, which holds within it a parallel botanic universe of international plants.  

‘Many of these were brought here by people; for food and connection to home cultures, as well as for trade and botanic research.’ 

Anne Hardy was selected from a shortlist of East London-based artists by a panel which included representatives from London City Airport, the Mayor of London’s office, University of East London, Artwise, the Royal Docks Team, and the artist, Thomas J Price. 

For more information, visit Anne Hardy‘s artist page.