Ab Initio is a new, 8m long, permanent installation at Tout Quarry Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve in Portland, Dorset. The piece was created by Livia Spinolo as part of the One Island, Many Visions exhibition, a collaborative event between Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust (PSQT) and artist members of the Royal Society of Sculptors (RSS).

Materiality is at the heart of Livia’s practice, and the opportunity to participate in a 6-month residency allowed her to undertake a practice-based investigation into the ecological, historical, and cultural dimensions of Tout Quarry Sculpture Park and Nature Reserve, while gaining insight into the PSQT multidisciplinary approach to landscape regeneration. The residency culminated with the group exhibition in the autumn, but the legacy of the work lives on.

Latin for “from the beginning”, Ab Initio signifies a return to origins, reconnecting with principles of place, ecology, and the craft of dry-stone walling. The artwork highlights how traditional walling skills can be integrated into contemporary art practice to address environmental change and support habitat regeneration.

It is a sculptural habitat designed with curved lines that capture sunlight from varying angles. Its amphitheatre-like forms reflect and retain heat within the concave structures, generating a microclimate with slightly elevated temperatures that creates shelter and encourages plant growth. The elevation of the walls above the ground reduces wind speed, aiding the dispersal and settling of wind-borne seeds. Cracks and cavities within the dry-stone walls have proved to be ideal niches for flora, insects, invertebrates, and small mammals. The thermal properties of the stones are particularly beneficial for small reptiles, offering warmth and shelter. The developments of the sculptural habitat will remain under observation and will be documented in the years to come.

The Project, sponsored by Dorset DSWA, was developed in collaboration with Peter Curtis and Phyllis Warren of the Dorset Branch of the Dry-Stone Walling Association, Hannah Sofaer, Creative Director of Portland Sculpture & Quarry Trust, and with valued contributions of fellow artist Ros Burgin MRSS and local naturalist Bob Ford. 

For more information about the residency visit: www.learningstone.org/micro-residencies/livia-spinolo