I'LL SEE YOU IN THE TREES
Nina Sumarac
4-channel video with sound
LARGE Entire-wall projections.
Each video duration: 40'' played on a loop
One channel sound length: 29'31'' on a loop
year: 2022
Space needed: 1 to 4 walls
Technical support required: 1 to 4 projectors with 1-3 speakers
1 to 4 projectors, 1-4 speakers. For entire-wall projections, a distance of 7m+ between the projector and the wall is required.
With the cooperation of the artist and curator, this work can be presented in other ways. open for consideration
Concept:
Inspired by Angelo Badalamenti and David K. Lynch's song 'Sycamore Trees', work 'I'll See You In the Trees' is a comparative study of people and trees, which explores humanity and its complexities within the context of nature, thus forging a path to self-realisation. In a bid to convey dynamic connectivity, which neutralizes bias while initiating empathy and compassion, participants were asked to illustrate their innermost selves while considering the anatomical attributes of trees. It is these deep personal insights which the artist has 'forested' into a collective digital plantation of 110 curated selves/trees that offer viewers a truly polyphonous experience. Re-establishing this symbiotic connection is an attempt at saving trees and people simultaneously, since both are under threat.
Description:
The work 'I'll See You in the Trees' is a large surround-space installation, with animated audio-video work projected onto the gallery's walls illuminating the darkroom using four video projectors. The immense trees cover the walls entirely, accompanied by minimal animation with the effects of foliage moving in the breeze and pre-recorded audio taken from the sounds of the forest, all to make an illusion for visitors like they are stepping into the woods. As well, benches are provided for viewers to take their time to immerse themselves fully and mindfully into this experience.
As a sudden action, every half-hour, the audio changes, becoming more intense and dramatic, while the animated forest remains the same and continues moving peacefully in the breeze. The transition of the sound shifts from peace and harmony to the repetitive and disturbing sound of an axe repeatedly cutting the wood, growing louder, followed by the alarming sounds of chainsaws cutting up the forest and a raging fire scorching the trees as a loud awaking call.
Credits:
‘Planting’ of the digital forest: Nina Sumarac
Animation and video editing / Motion research - collaboration with :
Marinos Savva and Nicos Synnos - Lab for Animation Research (LAR) Department of the Fine Arts, Cyprus University of Technology.
Sound recording and composition: Dimitris Savva. Recorded in Troodos Forest, Cyprus.
Sound: 'Studena, Klana, Croatia' by Wild_Rumpus. Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 3.0). Recorded by Ivo Vicic in May at 8:36 am, Studena woodlands, Croatia. Temp: 16C.
Workshop "We Trees" in collaboration with Elena Gavriel, a professional dance artist, teacher and yoga instructor.
Drawings: Albina Davliatshina, Aleksandra Constantinides, Alex Welch, Andriana Nicolaou, Anna Kucherova, Antoniadou Christothea, Artemis Evlogimenou, Atos Hgeorgiou, Bee Brigitte Davies, Bonnie Chui, Bryan Clarkson, Camille Legeleux, Christine Keeble Watson, Constandinos & Tania Stavrinides, Constanitina Charalambous, Constantinos Panayides, Diana Miljuš, Eliza Patouris, Elli Papaloucas, Emilija Šumarac, Eugenia Francesca Soncini, Evis Michaelides, Farzanah Kirkup, Frosoulla Kofterou, Gabriella Norman Savva, George Nikolaou, Giovannie Presutti, Helen Savva, Heli Mangel, Irene Pavlou, Irina Buharova, Janette Charalambous, Jelena Vasić, Jen Brewster, Jesper Skov, Jessica C Vayianou, Joanna Hemingway, Julie Bond, June Doyle, Karolina Domaracka, Katie Sabry, Kiara Timm, Lavan Jeyarupalingam, Lia Petrodou, Liliana Jakovljevic Stavri, Liliy Zachariou, Lubka Mlčúchová, Maria Marcou, Maria Pavlou, Maria Schwarz Demetriou, Marija Reljić, Marinos Savva, Miki Fujiwara Pentecost, Minja Šumarac, Mirjana Miščević, Nailya Tavkaeva, Natalia Volshendorf, Natasa Katsiari, Navid Gholipour, Nearchos Ioannou, Negin Ehtesabian, Nikolas Constantinides, Nina Sumarac Jablonsky, Ola Hikari, Olga Alexeeva, Olivera Vulović Nikolou, Pamela Calver, Patricia Hitchen, Penny Zenonos, Peter Lammiman, Polydora Pericleous-Kakoulli, Rania Iakovou, Rozali Dobra, Salima Toumi, Sasha Morozova, Suzana Phialas, Silvia Brierley, Stephanie Petrou, Tania Pirilidou, Tatiana Ferahian, Tatjana Vidović, Tess Turner, Toulla Christou, Viktoria Vika, Vladimir Jablonsky, Zorica Popović, Zoritsa Mladenović and fifteen unknown contributors.
Text: Dr Frosoulla Kofterou
Production: Eugenia Francesca Soncin, Italy
Exhibitions:
2022 exhibition The FOREST by the Arboreal Collective, hosted by NeMe Arts Centre, 25/02 - 11/03/2022.
https://www.neme.org/projects/hosted/the-forest
2022 1st prize award and a solo exhibition at The Cultural Institution Associação Estação Viva, Canelas-Estarreja, Portugal.
2022 Forest and Life Geumgang Nature Art Biennale, organized by YATOO, Gongju-si, South Korea
2022 TERRA Espacio Gallery. Curator Judit Prieto. London
2022 Rare Effect led by Arroz Estúdios & Art Progression Now Lisbon, Portugal
2022 Imagine Futures, Puntomov, Festival de Videoarte de la Facultad de Artes, Autonomous University of Mexico State UAEMEX
2022 Ikono TV, screening at COP27, The Conference of the Parties (COP), organised by the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
2022 Art and Society, Ecology as a Collective Sculpture, The International Performance Art Festival for Ecology and Sustainable Development Cameroon.
Artistic Director Raphaël Christian Etongo. Yaoundé, Cameroon
2023 The LAR Chronicles: Radical Domains of Anima, Lab for Animation Research CUT, NeMe Arts Centre, Limassol
2023 Ties That Cannot Be Unbound, Underground Art And Design (UAAD) and New Art City online gallery. Curator Zhi Ye & Xiaofan (Amy) Jiang, New York
2023 Spring Exhibition "THE END OF CAPITALISM: Point of Goodbye" Art Pavilion "Cvijeta Zuzorić", Belgrade
2024 AiR Schafhof – European Center for Art Upper Bavaria, Germany + workshop
2024 RE: SOURCE 2.0, Artnow, The Warehouse by ITQuarter, Limassol
2024 Kre: Pí festival 2024 @ CK Záhrada, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia +workshop
2025 TRANSFORMATION | Exhibition of the residency
program Schafhof – Europäisches Kunstforum Oberbayern, Freising, Germany
Published in:
LandEscape magazine Biennale edition 2022
Book Estação project publisher TRAMA BODOQUE Artes e Ofícios represented by Frederico Lopes Oliveira, Portugal, 2023
