Summary

Italian artist, Giuliano Mauri, was commissioned by Stour Valley Art Project in 1999 to be artist in residence and make a major work in King’s Wood, Challock in Kent. He proposed three enormous basket-like structures which he describes as ‘Imprints’, to be made from interlaced sweet chestnut saplings. These were constructed in 15 days with the help of a small team in June 1999.

Stour Valley Art Project was formed by a partnership between local authorities including the Kentish Stour Countryside Project, countryside agencies such as Forest Enterprise, the regional arts board and a higher education institute to encourage greater public use of Forestry Commission owned King’s Wood where it is based. Its programme hinges around an annual major commission by an international artist, supported by an artist-led education programme for schools which including a Teachers’ Pack, apprenticeships for students to work with the resident artist, and student bursaries to make new site-specific work. The Project is moving towards independent Trust status and a formal Management Agreement with Forest Enterprise to clarify decommissioning, maintenance and liability issues.