Archival Giclée Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Limited Edition of 5
35.5 x 26 in
90 x 66 cm
US $ 2,400
This photograph from John Stathatos’ Arboretum series captures the grand, arched exit of Kew Gardens' Palm Court greenhouse, viewed from within its empty interior. The glass-paneled doors, framed by the curved lines of the greenhouse's structure, open up to reveal the soft, blurred outlines of the garden beyond. The sense of openness draws the viewer’s gaze outward, creating a dialogue between the structured interior and the natural world awaiting outside, symbolizing the boundary between human-made order and the organic, untamed environment.
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This photograph from John Stathatos’ Arboretum series captures the grand, arched exit of Kew Gardens' Palm Court greenhouse, viewed from within its empty interior. The glass-paneled doors, framed by the curved lines of the greenhouse's structure, open up to reveal the soft, blurred outlines of the garden beyond. The sense of openness draws the viewer’s gaze outward, creating a dialogue between the structured interior and the natural world awaiting outside, symbolizing the boundary between human-made order and the organic, untamed environment.
The emptiness within amplifies the solemnity of the scene, turning the greenhouse into a contemplative space. Stripped of its usual greenery, the architecture stands as a testament to Victorian ambition—a space designed to control and nurture, now transformed into a place of reflection on its own purpose. The contrast between the intricate metal framework and the vast, transparent doors creates a visual rhythm, leading the eye upward and outward, suggesting both confinement and invitation.
This image epitomizes the themes of Stathatos’s Arboretum series: the tension between containment and freedom, between human intention and nature’s autonomy. Through the stark black-and-white palette, the photograph highlights the greenhouse’s skeletal structure, allowing the viewer to ponder its architectural elegance as well as the temporary absence of life within. The scene feels imbued with nostalgia, capturing a moment of quiet anticipation, as if the greenhouse itself is waiting for renewal, for life to once again fill its empty spaces.