Creative Reactions 2023 - Art Exhibition
May 16 to June 1, 2023 - Lincoln Cathedral, Minster Yard, Lincoln, LN2 1PX
After the success of Creative Reactions last year, I was thrilled to be able to put time aside to participate in this year’s iteration. For those of you who have not heard of Pint of Science, it is a non-profit organisation ‘to provide a space for researchers and members of the public alike to come together, be curious, and chat about research in a relaxed environment outside of mysterious laboratories or daunting dark lecture theatres.’ The sister event, Creative Reactions, provides an alternative interpretation of these research topics in a creative way that broadens its’ accessibility.
For Creative Reactions, I was paired with PhD student, Lauren Bourn and supervisor, Niko Kargas, who are researching the positive impact of Forest School on young people with autism. After our initial discussion, it sparked my interest on the impact and use of trees and woodland for all, whether this was used as a resource, or for our mental, physical and social wellbeing. My original intention was to place a real tree in the exhibition to bring the woodland to the viewer, but the realities of keeping the tree alive for a 2-3 week period meant that this was not a realistic option. I began researching alternative methodologies to fabricate a tree using materials such as paper and cardboard, both derivatives of trees with a metal structure underneath. This was something that I had not done before, but by extension, was not too dissimilar from my paper sculptures in 2019.
During the labour intensive making, I began questioning the why? Why present a recreated tree to the viewer and for what purpose? What experience was I trying to present? I could not present an entire forest to the viewer, so how else might a tree best serve them and were there any historic traditions I could draw from? From this thread, I realised that I, myself, had stumbled across several wishing trees that were hammered with copper coins in the Lake District in 2012. With this in mind, I decided to pursue a participatory artwork, where instead of coins, the viewer could leave anonymous paper wishes on the tree. No longer a static sculpture, the tree could continue to grow and change over time. Essentially, becoming a monument for a communities hopes and dreams.
Over the exhibition period, I was unprepared for the range of responses from the public. Some fun and light hearted, whilst others were deep and philosophical. I will need time to process these and consider the work moving forward. For me, the work remains unfinished so it is my intention to push this further, with time permitting, of course. Watch this space!
For further information: https://pintofscience.co.uk/events/lincoln
