Dead On was the last in a series of three Artists' Gardens –  temporary, off-site public art projects – commissioned by the Void Gallery as part of its Void Sites programme for Derry/Londonderry U.K City of Culture 2013.

Brooke Park, where Dead On was sited, dates from 1840 nd was the location of Gwynn’s Institute for Orphan Boys (and later girls) from Derry and Donegal. It became a public park in 1901 after John ood Brooke bequeathed a portion of his will to purchase a portion of land to be used for the recreation of the citizenry of Derry. During the 1970’s it was a British army base. The army have now gone and it is once again a public park. It is due to be redeveloped in 2014 and it is very likely that the ‘Dead On’ elm tree will be felled. Everything is temporary, even permanence: 'For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice.'

Artists Gardens saw artists Locky Morris, Katie Holten, Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey creating bespoke gardens within houses, on rooftops, in subterranean sites and on local landmarks, in ten locations across the city. The rationale of the project was to create a city centre ‘garden trail’ which changed along with the people and the town they were situated in. This was particularly important in a city centre context which generally emphasises consumerism, the manufactured and which affords little time for reflection, conversation and growth.

The two other projects were by: Katie Holten ‘Factory Garden’ (Spring 2013), the reanimation of a disused factory space, and by Ackroyd & Harvey, ‘Cunningham’ (15 September - 16 October 2013) the rejuvenation of a former military barracks, the Cunningham building at Ebrington, where the facade was planted and entirely covered with seedling grass. Text, Greg McCartney.

Locky Morris was born in Derry City, Northern Ireland, where he continues to live and work. He has been exhibiting nationally and internationally since the mid 1980s. Recent solo projects include A Week in Goals, Creggan, Derry; Me and my Shadow, Mannheimer Kunstverein, Germany; From Day One, Mother's Tankstation, Dublin and This Then, The Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast. Recent group exhibitions include, The Walls that Divide Us, Apexart in New York City; All Humans Do, the Model, Sligo and White Box Gallery, NYC; What Became Of The People We Used To Be, Tulca Festival of Visual Arts, Galway.

His practice has also included many works and interventions in the public realm. His early work was shown in the British Art Show — New North and Strongholds at the Tate Gallery, Liverpool, while also exhibiting in a wide range of spaces in his local neighbourhood—such as disused bookmakers, community centres and vacant premises.  Forthcoming exhibitions include Invisible Violence at Artium, Vitoria, Spain, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade

For more info please visit www.lockymorris.org

 Gregory McCartney, Curator, Void Sites.