Participatory art, MF003
10.9.20 Sadly, because of the pandemic, I haven't initiated any new participatory art or social engagement for this module, MF003. I miss it, but it has also been interesting to focus on other aspects of my practice. After my last assessment in May, each Wishing tree continued to develop their own character. As lock down eased most of my involvement with it has been through social media. There was a stage when many people were posting photos of them, especially the two hawthorns and it felt almost as if I had planted a 5th, virtual Wishing tree.
A couple of highlights have been that I was interviewed about the Wishing tree on the Downs and it featured on two Radio 4 PM programme on two consecutive weeks. Another is that Judith and Ashely Mee, friends who set up a Wishing tree outside their house, organised for a book to be made of the messages they received and images of the tree and local memories of the lockdown in Iron Acton where they live. They have given a cpy to every household in the village and are asking for donations to the Southmead Hospital Charity.
As a response to the Radio 4 programmes I have also been contacted by someone who wants to have a debate with me about how humans and why use trees. He is part of a Facebook group about trees and has been surprised by the antagonism to some images of my Wishing tree that he posted there. After the antagonism I witnessed at earlier stages of the project, I'll be interested to discuss this further.
I did wonder about documenting the second phase of the Wishing trees thoroughly for this module, as it has changed over time, both visually, as things are added, as things are erased or lost through the agency of the elements, as the seasons change. But I haven't yet, as I feel as if they have taken on a life of their own, as if they are no longer mine, but belong to the community. Just yesterday someone posted a beautiful image of the Wishing tree on The Downs on Instagram, describing it as 'resplendent'; a couple of days ago someone else complained about it, saying 'all that plastic. I hope someone will take it all away.' The two polarised views interest me greatly. I have pledged to take it all away, and I had wondered about doing it around now, but actually with the recent publicity, the rise in covid cases and the fact that it seems to be bringing joy to more people than aggravation makes me think I'll leave them fr a while. A friend told me a couple of weeks ago that the Wishing tree at Purdown had gone. I haven't even been to check. If that's the case, I feel fine about it. It's had its day. I have kept screenshots of all the interactions on social media, and the volume of images is overwhelming. Maybe I will make a sequel to my original documentation. Maybe I won't. It's certainly an indication that I've been busy with other projects!
Visit Wishing trees for my documentation for MF002 .
A couple of highlights have been that I was interviewed about the Wishing tree on the Downs and it featured on two Radio 4 PM programme on two consecutive weeks. Another is that Judith and Ashely Mee, friends who set up a Wishing tree outside their house, organised for a book to be made of the messages they received and images of the tree and local memories of the lockdown in Iron Acton where they live. They have given a cpy to every household in the village and are asking for donations to the Southmead Hospital Charity.
As a response to the Radio 4 programmes I have also been contacted by someone who wants to have a debate with me about how humans and why use trees. He is part of a Facebook group about trees and has been surprised by the antagonism to some images of my Wishing tree that he posted there. After the antagonism I witnessed at earlier stages of the project, I'll be interested to discuss this further.
I did wonder about documenting the second phase of the Wishing trees thoroughly for this module, as it has changed over time, both visually, as things are added, as things are erased or lost through the agency of the elements, as the seasons change. But I haven't yet, as I feel as if they have taken on a life of their own, as if they are no longer mine, but belong to the community. Just yesterday someone posted a beautiful image of the Wishing tree on The Downs on Instagram, describing it as 'resplendent'; a couple of days ago someone else complained about it, saying 'all that plastic. I hope someone will take it all away.' The two polarised views interest me greatly. I have pledged to take it all away, and I had wondered about doing it around now, but actually with the recent publicity, the rise in covid cases and the fact that it seems to be bringing joy to more people than aggravation makes me think I'll leave them fr a while. A friend told me a couple of weeks ago that the Wishing tree at Purdown had gone. I haven't even been to check. If that's the case, I feel fine about it. It's had its day. I have kept screenshots of all the interactions on social media, and the volume of images is overwhelming. Maybe I will make a sequel to my original documentation. Maybe I won't. It's certainly an indication that I've been busy with other projects!
Visit Wishing trees for my documentation for MF002 .
Image: Jon Kay
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Image: Jon Kay
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