The world's first and only public sculpture garden devoted to female artists, the Artist's Garden at Temple station in London, is under threat of eviction after Transport for London's property arm decided not to renew its licence. Claire Mander, director and curator of the arts charity theColab, which runs the garden, believes the space could be turned into a generic venue for VIP events and cocktails.
Origins of the garden
Mander discovered the neglected roof terrace of Temple underground station while studying for an art history MA at the Courtauld Institute. The site, built as part of the Victoria Embankment in 1870, once housed a 17th-century sculpture garden created by the Countess of Arundel. Mander envisioned a women's sculpture garden to address gender disparity in public artworks.
A survey by Art UK found that of almost 1,500 monuments in London, more than a fifth were dedicated to named men and only 4% to women – half as many as those celebrating animals. Only 13% of public sculptures in London were created by women.
Opening and success
After persistent lobbying of Westminster council, the Artist's Garden opened in October 2021 with over £500,000 in funding from the council and donations. It has attracted 100,000 visitors a year, commissioned 18 major works, and collaborated with 24 emerging and established artists.
Lakwena Maciver created the opening exhibit, a kaleidoscopic mural titled Back in the Air: A Meditation on Higher Ground spanning 140 sq metres. She said the site held personal significance: 'When I was a teenager, we would get the train up to town and I remember sitting in Embankment Gardens eating Skittles with my sister. I’d be thinking about my future but also feeling that, as a minority, London didn’t belong to me. To be asked to do the mural was very special because I was being invited to contribute something so monumental. It was like, I do belong!'
Threat of eviction
TheColab has been informed by Places for London, TfL's property arm, that their licence will not be renewed on 1 October and they must clear the garden. A spokesperson for Places for London said: 'The terrace and station roof may now require essential repair and safety works, and the space needs to be cleared for the assessment of the extent of the works required. We are working with Westminster city council and local stakeholders to explore alternative locations nearby for the Artist’s Garden, while also developing future plans for the terrace at Temple. As a legally protected space, it will always remain accessible to the public.'
Mander disputes this, stating that the repairs relate to upgrading the commercial property below the terrace, and that no large-scale roof overhaul is mentioned in the scope of works. She believes the space is at risk of being handed to a private developer: 'It’s a prime location with incredible views of the river, ideal for VIP events selling overpriced cocktails. They don’t understand that this is a landmark project. Their perception seems to be that we’re a small, pathetic female-led charity that’s doing some sort of nice little sculptural things. But we are prepared to take this to court if it comes to it.' They have launched a campaign and petition to save the garden.
Cultural value
Alexandra Hodby, head of programmes at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and a trustee of the gardens, emphasised the cultural and economic value of such spaces. She said: 'Look at the High Line in New York. It wasn’t even a public space, then it was made public through art. Artists activated it. Now it’s one of the most visited places in the city.'
Hodby said sculpture has a power to engage the public: 'There’s an immediacy about it, there’s no separation between the work and the world.' She added: 'Obviously, seeing art made by women inspires other women who want to make art themselves. But it goes far beyond that. Representation is about being part of a public space and being seen. Visibility allows visitors to see themselves.'
Artists' voices
Artist Florence Peake, who created work for the current show Sculpture in Three Acts, said: 'It’s rare these days in London to find a public space that is free and doesn’t have a commercial agenda. It’s a place to reflect, take a breath and be with artworks that may draw you in, and hold space for a state of reflection.' She noted the garden allows visitors to see that women can make large-scale work: 'A man comes along and says “I want to build a big steel thing sticking 18 metres up in the air” and he’s hailed as a genius. A woman suggesting the same thing, there are anxious sideways glances.'
At the heart of the garden is an artist's hut featuring a photomontage by feminist artist Linder Sterling. She said: 'The Artist’s Garden is situated in Temple, once the province of the Knights Templar. It seems that women have to become warriors now and defend our right to take up space there.' The montage includes a portrait of the Countess of Arundel and the phrase 'She Is Here', which Sterling added: 'Now that the site is under threat, She Is Here has become a rallying cry - we’re not going anywhere.'
