This is the Giant Tree of Vrynwy in Powys, North Wales. Unfortunately, I didn't see it on my 2018 Offa's Dyke Walk. In fact, I just learned about it when someone recently tweeted it. It caught my imagination so I had to investigate and here's what I discovered. (Covid adventures - haha)
Of course, when you see something on Twitter you tend to think it's something new, something that has happened recently, but in fact, this sculpture was completed in 2011. It's located on an estate with a reservoir where people often walk in a forest of giant redwoods called the Giants of Vyrnwy and this tree used to be the tallest of all of them.
In 2011 someone noticed some significant storm damage to the tree that caused the top part to be removed so as not to fall on any unsuspecting walkers. The search started for an artist to give new life to the tree as a sculpture and one thing after another, Simon O'Rourke, an artist living in Wales, found himself with a new project.
Scaffolding was erected, not an easy task on the uneven ground around the tree and work began. O'Rourke, inspired by earlier artists such as Rodin decided on a hand reaching for the sky as an appropriate symbol for a giant tree and began work using a chainsaw and smaller carving tools.
The completed structure is 50 ft. tall. O'Rourke modelled the hand after his own and says the experience humbled him, reminding him of "just how insignificant we humans are compared to some of the living organisms on this earth."
After 2 days to erect the scaffold and another 6 days of intense carving, with the addition of two pieces for the thumb and little finger since the tree wasn't wide enough to provide them, the work was done. Tung oil was applied and there it stands for all to see.
No comments:
Post a Comment