Chatham vines was a project by the renowned installation artist
John Newling that sought to bring new life to St John's, a 19th century Church in Chatham, Kent, South East of England. The Church had been empty for eight years and was formally closed for public worship in 2001.
Chatham Vines saw Saint John's transformed by a steel structure supporting the growing vines. The central aisle was punctuated for fifteen metres by an austere line of vertical trellises three metres high. Along this pathway, once walked by people approaching the altar, thirty two vines were grown using hydroponics technology. This is a replication of nature; the vines nourished by light and water distributed by artificial means. On occasions, by day and night, the church was illuminated from within. A contrived nature harnessed to do its regenerative job.
Esoteric Hydroponics supplied the following equipment and the expertise to grow the vines to great success.