Chisholm: I notice that energies and elements are frequently recurring themes in your work.
Garden: For some time now I have been involved with the sources of our energy, what makes us grow and the other way round, which situations, relationships or people cause a decline in energy levels.
Chisholm: We have already spoken about seismography. What excites you about the subjects "volcano" and "Fuji"?
Garden: First of all I’ve got to say that the optical impression is one of extraordinary beauty; the colours and the flowing lava are both impressive. The eruptive force which seems to blaze a way through the surface is connected paradoxically to the glowing nucleus of the earth which is fascinating. Looking back volcanoes have been instrumental in forming the earth’s surface. After destruction there follows a fruitful phase –lava soil, for example from which the best wine grapes are grown.
This duality “destruction – construction”, “injury – healing” symbolises for me the eternal cycle of psychic and physical processes.
Chisholm: The element fire plays a big role in volcanoes.
Garden: An old Italian lady told me once "il fuoco è sempre un pò di compagnia" (fire is always a little bit of company), which I thought was a very nice expression.
Fire is a symbol of warmth in all cultures, life-energy, fusion or the transformation from one state to another, for example the cremation of the dead. This is contradictory, both the divine as well as the destructive is stimulating.
