I think with age, you start getting to look at a significant part of your past along with the present and possibly an intuition of the future. Like trees…how they grow into unique characters…how growing up through the seasons put unique textures on their skin, just like a person’s soul.
The concept of the triptych was born while on a brooding walk past a series of trees near Brunswick Square in Bloomsbury, London. I felt my affinity towards nature and crave to connect people could come together in a single piece of artwork.
However, the artwork has to start conversations and not just be put up on the wall. This led to the idea about touring around cafes so anyone can get up close to these portraits, have a drink and talk.
I want people not only to see the photographs but also reconnect in real life – get together over coffee up close this artwork and talk…feel…remember…possibly be more empathetic and sensitive towards people and nature around us.
Showcased by Untamed Artists, the exhibition ‘They Come As Trees’ toured across London in three cafes:
3rd Feb 2020 – 7th Feb 2020, Queens Wood Cafe, N10
17th Feb 2020 – 21st Feb 2020, The Tin Shed, W11
2nd Mar 2020 – 8th Mar 2020, Woolidando, E2
We also arranged blind meetings where two strangers would sit together at the table and have an open soul-to-soul conversation about interests, life, art and connect in real.
We left souvenir cards with tasks for people that would instigate real life connections and empathy to each other as well as nature.
It was an immersive journey not just for the artwork but also for me – walking around London with LaToyah Gill (founder of Untamed Artists) and choosing cafes, talking to the owners about our ideas, organising meetings for strangers, meeting new people. Queen’s Wood Cafe was an easy choice since I have visited it few times whilst walking the Parkland trail and loved it. Being close to the lovely woods, it was also the first cafe where the exhibition started. The second cafe, the Tin Shed, was very special to us because of its owner Patrick Cadell who was very welcoming to our touring and blind meeting concept, the lovely ambience of the cafe and delicious food. The last cafe, Woolidando, packs a mix of quirk and hip, made special by absolutely friendly staff. And they sell house plants too!
The artworks are available for sale, please message me if you would like to buy any of them.
Prices:
Framed original Polaroid triptych, 45.3cm x 20.4cm, £595
Mounted limited edition C-Type print of each polaroid, 12.7cm x 12.7cm, £65*
Mounted limited edition C-Type print of each polaroid, 12.7cm x 12.7cm, £65*
Mounted limited edition C-Type print of each polaroid, 12.7cm x 12.7cm, £65*
* 3 limited edition prints would cost only £165 when bought as a triptych set. There are 10 copies available in the limited edition.
Promotional archive
Untamed Artists Poster
Read Ham&High article on the exhibition here:
https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/etcetera/art/they-come-as-trees-queens-wood-cafe-highgate-1-6469874