Sound Tree
Wood, nails, thread, and necessary hardware, 6'x5'x4'
July 2014
Sound Tree was somewhat cheekily titled to indicate its location overlooking the Puget Sound, and for being a sound sculpture. The concept arose from my work on an installation using aluminum nails. I was struck with the delicate tinkling sound they make when they come together. It is like a wind chime, a sound which for me belongs to summer, but softer.
The structure was designed to resemble that of a fig tree, with each branch terminating in a wooden box with mesh sides. Inside, six nails were suspended on thread so that they would tinkle as the breeze funneled through. Located on the water in Carkeek Park, and with twenty six boxes facing in different directions, the tree would produce a low susurration as the airmass moved through.
This sculpture was part of CoCA's Heaven and Earth VI exhibition, in Carkeek Park, July to October 2014.
