Damn Jennifer Jenkins

Artist Ian Hamilton Finlay (Nassau, Bahamas, 1925 - 2006)

AssociatedAssociated with National Trust

DistributorDistributed by Graeme Moore

Date1987

Object NamePlace Card

Mediumcard, ink

ClassificationsPrints

DimensionsCard, unfolded: 7.5 x 10cm
Folded Paper (cover): 10.5 x 14.8cm

AcquisitionPresented in 2010 by Joyce Laing OBE.

LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Object numberABDAG017435

About MeSet of five folding place cards, each identical, with printed text on one side that reads as follows:

Damn Jennifer Jenkins
Committee of Public Safety, Colchester

The cards were found in a slip of paper containing the name and address of Graeme Moore, a Garden Designer based in Colchester and an associate of Ian Hamilton Finlay. Given that the place of issue (Colchester) matches the place of his business (23 Charles Street, Colchester), it is likely that Moore arranged the publication and distribution these cards. The purpose and context of the work was to antagonise the National Trust in reaction to "Follies: A National Trust Guide", which contained disparaging comments about the Garden Temple at Little Sparta. Dame Jennifer Jenkins was the then Director-General of the National Trust.

This work is part of an archive that belonged to Joyce Laing, OBE. The artist, Ian Hamilton Finlay, was a personal friend and sent her an example of each new poem print and multiple as it was made.