Bloom Inspired by Gerald Durrell’s story and passion, and designed by internationally acclaimed artist Stuart Semple is a colourful meadow made up of almost 5,000 flower sculptures arriving at Jersey Zoo from 6th June to September 2025.
Bloom features six of Gerald Durrell’s favourite flowers; chrysanthemums, freesias, roses, scarlet pimpernel, crocuses, and pink magnolias, each made from eco-renewable recycled castor oil and plant fibres. Each flower is painted in a vibrant colour and finished with a coat of Semple’s ‘Lit’ glow-in-the-dark paint.
The installation is part of GD100, a year of celebrating what would have been Gerald Durrell’s 100th birthday. Gerald Durrell was a pioneer of the concept of zoo-led conservation, planting the seed that zoos should help combat threats faced by wildlife worldwide. Since then, Gerald’s ideas have blossomed into the global conservation organisation we know today, working to save species from extinction at Durrell’s headquarters in Jersey, Channel Islands, and at rewilding sites around the world. Each flower sculpture represents his long-lasting legacy and how one person’s achievements can flourish into something far greater and wide-reaching.
“The flowers in Bloom are some of Gerry’s favourites, and I know he would’ve loved to see the colourful meadow pop up in the courtyard of his cherished Les Augres Manor, where he lived for so many years.
The Bloom flowers are symbolic of the various members of the Durrell community, from donors and staff to visitors and global supporters. In fact, anyone who shares in Gerry’s vision of creating a wilder, healthier, more colourful world. The simple act of purchasing a flower sculpture supports our global conservation efforts and helps save species from extinction.”
says Durrell’s Honorary Director Lee Durrell.
The partnership between Stuart Semple and Durrell has resulted in a truly unique and captivating installation that blends art, technology, and environmental stewardship. Stuart has previously worked with Durrell on their Go Wild Gorillas and Tortoise Takeover sculpture trails. A multidisciplinary British artist whose work spans painting, performance, internet art, and installation, Stuart’s practice addresses sociological themes and contemporary anxieties. Often an activist in nature, his projects advocate for fairness, equality, and access in the arts.
“I’m so excited to be a part of this huge art installation in the grounds of Jersey Zoo. Comprising of thousands of 3D printed flowers made of bioresin, each flower species featured is inspired by Gerry’s favorite wildflowers.
This project means the world to me, because ever since I visited Jersey Zoo as an 8-year-old child, it has had a place in my heart. I’m sure you can agree that now more than ever, Gerry’s philosophy, his ecology, and his conservation are vital to the planet. This is your chance to help wildlife and habitats by supporting the brilliant work that Durrell does.”
Stuart Semple.
The flower sculptures are available to preorder now from the Bloom website now. The simple act of purchasing a flower has the power to influence change and support global wildlife conservation, helping to save species from extinction. The limited-edition flower sculptures will be part of the art installation at Jersey Zoo, Jersey, from 6th June to September, before being packaged up and sent to those who purchased them to enjoy at home.
Four of the six Bloom flower species have been sponsored so far by Ports of Jersey Limited, Rathbones Investment Management International, Pentagon and Cazenove Capital.
About
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is an international charity, headquartered at Jersey Zoo in the Channel Islands. Saving species from extinction has always been at the heart of what they do, but their ambitions for bringing about change go beyond this.
Established by author and conservationist Gerald Durrell in 1959, Durrell has been working for over 60 years to not only prevent extinctions but recover populations of threatened species and drive the restoration of ecosystems. Through their work in the wild and at Jersey Zoo, Durrell is reconnecting people with nature and helping to drive the societal change needed to save and restore the natural world. www.durrell.org
After a near-death experience as a teenager, whilst studying fine art at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Stuart Semple dedicated his life to being an artist. He is well known for his work with colour including his creation of the Pinkest Pink and Blackest black paints and his mission to democratise corporately controlled shades. Although diverse in its presentation, his body of work orbits around a handful of recurring themes: anxiety, society, cultural history, technology, connection, community, and freedom, working across painting, sculpture, happenings, and online.
Semple has enjoyed fifteen solo exhibitions dedicated to his work in London, Milan, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles. His works have also been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, fairs, and biennials, and at institutions including the Barbican, Institute Contemporary Arts, London, The Goss-Michael Foundation, Denver Art Museum, and The Whitworth, amongst others.
He has created large-scale public projects for cities including Melbourne, Dublin, London, Moscow, Manchester, and Denver and presented performance pieces and happenings at Dulwich Picture Gallery, The Bentway in Toronto, Hong Kong Arts Centre, and Glastonbury Festival.
Semple is regularly featured across the media and has seen major features in The Times, Modern Painters, Frieze, Wired, i-D, BBC, Vogue and several others. His BBC Radio 4 documentary Hostile Design was nominated for a Radio Academy Award in 2019. As a writer, he contributed a monthly feature to Art of England magazine for more than five years and has written for The Guardian, Spanish Vogue, Artlyst and Huffington Post.
A keen speaker on democracy, accessibility, and the power of art to transform mental health and the public realm, Semple has spoken at Frieze London, Oxford Union, The Southbank Centre, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts. Semple regularly curates exhibitions that explore society and has done so for galleries in London, Milan and New York.
