Simon Periton

Bombyx Mori is a monographic publication about British artist Simon Periton’s work, published by firstsite on the occasion of a new public artwork in 2012, installed in the D-shaped gardens at firstsite.

Periton researched the garden’s eighteenth century design in collaboration with the landscape architects, to create relevant planting for the renewed scheme.

His work is inspired partly by the site; there is a long-established mulberry tree in the gardens of East Hill House, and the worms of the silkmoths that appear in his artworks were essential to domestic silk production in nineteenth century Colchester.

Primarily a visual essay, this large-format book also includes an interview between Periton and Jes Fernie, firstsite’s Associate Curator, which contextualises the development of the commission.