SUNSHINE ON THE FALLEN TREE
Sunshine on a Fallen Tree is an immersive sound and light sculpture, made from locally sourced Ash trees felled due to Ash dieback, traditionally steam bent and set with re-usable innovative technology by Vashtu.
Walk through its branches and be seated in the canopy, bath in its flickering light as a sound composition takes you through movements of a requiem and sonic memories of the tree, inviting you to reflect on the decline of the Ash Tree and the energy and optimism we need to fill the spaces as we lose so many species to climate change.
The sound composition was created by Eleanor Hooper and Kate Griffin and together makes a very moving 12 minute experience. Check out the full track here: https://eleanorhooper.bandcamp.com/track/sunshines-on-a-fallen-tree-with-field-recordings
The piece was origianlly proposed for and commissioned by Wentworth Woodhouse’s Chapel for We Wonder Noir in Winter 21/22. It followed close on the heels of both of our AD’s Developing Your Creative Practice activities.
In early 2023 SFT was further developed for outdoor presentation, complete with steam bent Ash viewing benches and saw its premier at Oldham’s Illuminate Festival in Feb and more recently in Meersbrook Park Walled Garden, huge thanks to the friends of the garden for letting us use and film in the space, we’re pretty pleased with how it looks (full trailer coming v. soon!).
Watch this space for more outdoor dates.
Sunshine on the Fallen Tree – Meersbrook Park Walled Garden. Film By Jake Barrett JUNE 2023
Sunshine on the Fallen Tree was commissioned by Wentworth Woodhouse & Reload in March 2022.
The Build:
Concept : Eleanor Hooper & Pete Gunson
Composition: Eleanor Hooper and Kate Griffin
Sound and light tech: Vasthu Ltd
Materials: Andersons Tree Care
Design and build: Pete Gunson (Lead), build assist Annie Nelson and Roscoe Blevins
This installation was an idea we’ve been brewing for 3 years and taken our interactive sound and light tech collaboration with Vasthu to the next level.
The sound track is a beautiful 12 minute composition by Eleanor and Kate Griffin who have been working together on Eleanor’s DYCP and the sculpture was supported by Pete’s DYCP learning how to use steam bent Ash to make outdoor light work then manage and develop the tech.