Root and Seed is a two part sculptural installation that explores root systems as both visible structures and as metaphors for evolving and unseen connections. The work will initially present as two distinct forms. The first is a vertical bark like form that climbs and wraps to the bottom of an existing tree while extending into a root like form across the ground. The second an Ovoid form that references a fruit or an egg, which rests nearby, just barely in contact with the roots.
The root and bark structure is constructed from laser cut wood with hand drawn patterns that will be etched onto the surface. The form will appear to trace an imagined network made visible above ground, mapping hidden connections within the preserve. The second form, the fruit/egg sculpture, will contain an internal laser cut armature patterned with the same hand drawn design as the root and bark. That internal structure will be encased in a temporary outer layer composed of handmade paper, seeds, suet and bees wax. This skin is designed to gradually be consumed by wildlife and weather which allows it to transform over time. As this outer layer erodes, the inner structure will be revealed, visually linking it to the root sculpture.
I would like to use this opportunity and this installation as a way to think about migration and belonging. While the two forms seem separate, they are structurally connected, suggesting the ties to a home that are fundamental even when not visible. As the outer layer of the fruit breaks down this connection becomes clearer. This transformation is meant to show how we adapt to new environments while still carrying histories within.
