Babylon

Mixed media sculpture, steel, earth, jute, tree; 14' x 8' x 10'; built on-site is related to the main industrial/economic characteristics of the local community of Hull, Quebec. The economy of Hull has historically and to a large degree continues to be based on the cutting and processing of trees into pulp. In this piece, a diamond-shaped vat made of structural steel supports a quantity of earth and a living tree. Suspended in an I-beam frame and fixed on bearings, the inner structure hangs in equilibrium. As the wind blows, it acts on both the organic and mechanical aspects of the work, causing the tree to rock and pivot. The movement in this sculpture is always responsive and sensitive to the amount of force acting on it. The tree, in reacting both ecologically and physically within its steel cradle, reflects a visual challenge to the local community's understanding of organic and mechanical systems - instead of destroying and transforming the living tree, the steel/industrial component acts to protect and nurture it.

Still Image

Babylon