Alicja Patanowska presents Plantation, an installation of 200 hand-made porcelain vessels displayed on a purpose-built unit, where visitors can observe individual plant growth through the process of hydroponic planting, as a live artwork over the exhibition duration.
The project was conceived ten years ago when the artist was studying at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. She was struck by the vast number of discarded glasses on the streets outside bars and pubs and felt compelled to upcycle these materials into something aesthetic and desirable.
This is the first artist installation in the new Urban Farmer Project in the heart of the City of London. Patanowska’s work is born from her interest in the concepts of waste and luxury, and a desire to spread a deeper interest in caring for plants and the environment. PLANTATION is a series of hand-made porcelain elements designed for growing plants, herbs and vegetables using hydroponics, combined with repurposed drink glasses.
The Urban Farmer Project is an initiative delivered in partnership with Landsec and London’s Community Kitchen, with support from Square Mile Farms. It follows London’s Community Kitchen’s model of using waste food to not only feed people, but as a tool to develop skills in the community.
It was proposed by Fleet Street Quarter in line with the partners’ ambitions to create an inclusive, innovative, and sustainable area. It is an example of Landsec’s forward-thinking approach to vacant retail space, repurposing an empty unit into space with meanwhile use for the wider community.
It is located at the former bar within Landsec’s Hill House development, just north of Fleet Street, creating a marketplace, education hub and events space designed to address food poverty, widen access to sustainable farm produce and promote British agriculture.
This new installation is co-produced with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, the Polish Cultural Institute in London, Let’s Art Foundation, and On&On Designs as part of preparations for the 2025 UK/Poland Culture and Creative Season organised in collaboration with the British Council.
Alicja Patanowska | Plantation | Photo credit: Alka Murat
Patanowska has a long-held interest in gardening, but did not have her own outdoor space in London. With a background in pottery, she combined the glasses with porcelain to create the hydroponic planters, as a substitute for a garden. Working with a variety of glass shapes, from pint glasses to champagne flutes, through experimentation she designed four planter shapes which fit every type of glass and allow plants to thrive.
She has previously presented PLANTATION at institutions including the Museum of the Future, Dubai (2023), the National Museum in Krakow, Poland (2018 & 2022), and the Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro (2016). Aside from the four shapes already in production, 50% of the planters on display this winter will be new shapes, unique to the London installation.
Alicja Patanowska, artist – “I am delighted that PLANTATION will form part of the Urban Farmer Project. Creating a more eco-conscious community, expanding green spaces in the city, and sharing knowledge about the vital role of caring for nature in achieving a balanced life are essential as we face the climate crisis.”
Lucy French, CEO of Fleet Street Quarter BID – “It is fantastic to be working with the Polish Cultural Institute, based in the heart of the Fleet Street Quarter and On&On Designs, to bring Alicja Patanowska’s remarkable installation to our community. PLANTATION exemplifies the ambition of the Urban Farmer Project, fusing sustainability, education and creativity and affirming our FSQ vision of creating a climate resilient district for all to enjoy. We are delighted to be developing our cultural connections with Poland.”
Oliver Hunt, Development Director, Landsec – “PLANTATION is an important addition to the Urban Farmer Project, bringing art into the Fleet Street Quarter and City of London. The wider Urban Farmer Project will transform Hill House into an exciting meanwhile use that drives social value in the area by addressing food waste.”