Gardens of Revelation: Environments by Visionary Artists

by John Beardsley

John Beardsley tells the story of about twenty-five "visionary environments" and the fiercely independent individuals who have created them in the course of the last century. This lively international tour ranges from the soaring spires of Watts Towers in Los Angeles to the spirit-lifting Camel Yard and Owl House in New Bethesda, South Africa, to the junk-and-flower filled labyrinths of Howard Finster's Paradise Garden near Summerville, Georgia.
While capturing the spirit of each individual's unique creation, Beardsley also situates the work in the larger contexts of traditional garden design, religious architecture, environmental sculpture, and folk art. He muses about the compulsion to create, the sense of place, and the visionary spirit that has inflamed these artists, quoting at length their own poignant and pungent commentary on what they have created and why.

Genres: Art, Gardening

Hardcover

First published April 1, 1995

Reviews

[GoldGato · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an unusual book in that it explores, in detail, the various yard and garden artworks made by non-professionals throughout the world. If you have seen gardens with statues and little houses made by the owners of the gardens, this is what makes the basis of the book.



I had no idea there were so many folks doing this kind of thing and the book goes back many decades to explore the various art. Some of it is religious and some of it is just the vision of each artist. These are people who live in trailers and start building out of boredom. These are abbots building grottoes on church grounds. All in all, very enlightening.



I think I was hoping for more of a coffee-table type of book, but the author really gets into it. Maybe someone more versed in the world of art would be more enthralled, but he lost me at times, especially with his very subjective views. However, this isn't something you see or read about every day, so it stays in my collection.

Book Season = Spring (art and sun)

[Denise Spicer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This large coffee table book is lavishly illustrated with cool photographs of the gardens featured in the text. The author focuses on visionary or outsider artist types and their extraordinary garden endeavors. Some of these gardens are well known and still in existence. (Usually maintained by either a city or art foundation now that the original designer/creators have passed away.) Many of the examples were made in the 1920s-1970s and include Watts Tower in L.A., Nek Chand Saini in India, and the Ave Maria Grotto in Alabama. The book includes End Notes, Bibliography, and Index, as well as locations and organizations.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book. Beardsley places this work in a cultural and artistic context, referencing Breton and Dubuffet, while also attempting to uncover the common underlying themes and motivations. He also deals with the ambivalent ways in which these environments are viewed and treated within their requisite communities, an aspect that is overlooked in some discussions of this work. The photographs are great, too.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating but glad I checked it out from the library; not one I'll read over and over. If you are driving cross country, check this out when planning your routes and detours. Some of the most amazing works were in places one might least expect: rural Alabama and Iowa, for example.

[Mary Cartledgehayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book to return to if the property on which we've made an offer comes into our hands.