TREES GIVE US LIFE
The project grew out of a very simple idea: to plant as many trees as possible in the coming years.
How to combine environmental protection and art?
Artists have already begun to reflect and to work on this theme by reviewing past experiences and have drawn inspiration from nature to produce new work.
In 1982, J. Beuys was asked to participate in the 7th edition of DOCUMENTA. He decided to sell 7,000 basalt stones in order to finance the planting of 7,000 oaks in Kassel. The project ended in 1987 when the artist’s son planted the last tree after his father’s
death.
In 1998 the nature photographer Sabastiano Salgado and his wife Lelia Deluiz Waanick
Salgado launched a big project, Istituto Terra, in order to replant a part of the forest and repopulate the area with insects, birds and fish. They managed to raise funds to replant 2 million trees, completely transforming 1,502 hectares of land and recovering a piece of river forest in Minas Gerais (Brazil).
What reinforces these projects is the will to reach a concrete goal. Artists have proclaimed themselves the spokespersons of nature, which is being threatened in its relationships to human beings.
We often forget that a precious human and cultural heritage disappear when trees disappear. Too often we forget that trees allow life on Earth by simply producing oxygen and giving back to the environment.
The climatic changes we are experiencing, such as the devastations in our mountains and flatlands, like the one in Siberia and Alaska still in progress, are examples of alarming phenomena taking place all over the Earth. These events have shown that everyone needs to commit with concrete actions by giving a small contribution to plant a tree.
This project starts with people and for people.
Many artists have decided to join this initiative with exhibitions of their works, which also help to enhance their artistic identity.
“Humans and nature with a reunited soul will build a new world” (J. Beuys)
Art Experience Energy – Venice
Conceived by Anita Cerpelloni
