Nina Sumarac (2022)
4-channel video with sound
4k, 16:9 or 4:3 ratio
Entire-wall projections. Surround space installation.
Each video duration: 40 sec on a loop
Sound length: 29:31 min in repetition
Link: https://www.ninasumarac.com/illseeyouinthetrees
Inspired by Angelo Badalamenti and David K. Lynch’s song ‘Sycamore Trees’, work ‘I’ll See You in the Trees’ is a comparative study of people and trees, which explores humanity and its complexities within the context of nature, thus forging a path to self-realization. In a bid to convey dynamic connectivity, which neutralizes bias while initiating empathy and compassion, participants were asked to illustrate their innermost self while considering the anatomical attributes of trees. It is these deep personal insights, which the artist has forested into a collective plantation of 110 curated selves/people that offers viewers a truly polyphonous experience. Re-establishing this symbiotic connection is an attempt at saving trees and people simultaneously since both are under threat.
The work ‘I’ll See You in the Trees’ is a large surround-space installation, with animated audio-video work projected onto the gallery’s walls illuminating the darkroom using four video projectors. The immense trees cover the walls entirely, accompanied by minimal animation with the effects of foliage moving in the breeze and pre-recorded audio taken from the sounds of the forest, all to make an illusion for visitors like they are stepping into the woods. As well, benches are provided for viewers to take their time to immerse themselves fully and mindfully into this experience.
As a sudden action, every half-hour, the audio changes, becoming more intense and dramatic, while the animated forest remains the same and continues moving peacefully in the breeze. The transition of the sound shifts from peace and harmony to the repetitive and disturbing sound of an axe repeatedly cutting the wood growing louder, followed by the alarming sounds of chainsaws cutting up the forest and a raging fire scorching the trees as a loud awaking call.
Through the whole process, the artist’s aim is to encourage people to reengage with nature through practices that inspire reflection, imagination and channelling, modelled on the life of trees, by “transplanting” participants into the oldest community of beings, amplifying new pathways of thinking and being by communicating via the technological lens that has become our ‘new normal.
Exhibitions:
2022
‘The FOREST’ curated by the Arboreal Collective, hosted by NeMe Arts Centre, Limassol
1st prize award and a solo exhibition at The Cultural Institution Associação Estação Viva, Canelas-Estarreja, Portugal. Forest and Life, Geumgang Nature Art Biennale, organized by YATOO, Gongju-si, South Korea Rare Effect led by Arroz Estúdios & Art Progression Now Lisbon, Portugal
Puntomov, Festival de Videoarte de la Facultad de Artes, Autonomous University of Mexico State UAEMEX Ikono TV, screening at COP27, The Conference of the Parties (COP), organised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Art and Society, Ecology as a Collective Sculpture, The International Performance Art Festival for Ecology and Sustainable Development Cameroon. Artistic Director Raphaël Christian Etongo. Yaoundé, Cameron 2023
Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Nevada City and Grass Valley, California
The development of this project includes four years organized workshops titled ‘We, Trees’ in collaboration with dance performing artist and yoga teacher Elena Gavriel.
At the first part of each workshop, Elena guided participants using various meditation practices that focus on movement, breathwork and mindfulness, to play up the parallels between their own lives and how trees live in the context of natural elements. This synthesis aims to bridge our growing disconnect from nature, resulting in most recently from the pandemic, the virtual world and urbanization by bringing the senses back into balance.
In the second part of the workshops, Nina built on the perspectives developed in part one by asking participants to illustrate their innermost self while considering the anatomical attributes of trees. For the drawings is used paper, burned wood and branches as an extension of human hands.
Credits:
Digital “Forestation” and concept: Nina Sumarac
Drawings:
Albina Davliatshina, Aleksandra Constantinides, Alex Welch, Andriana Nicolaou, Anna Kucherova, Antoniadou Christothea, Artemis Evlogimenou, Atos Hgeorgiou, Bee Brigitte Davies, Bonnie Chui, Bryan Clarkson, Camille Legeleux, Christine Keeble Watson, Constandinos & Tania Stavrinides, Constanitina Charalambous, Constantinos Panayides, Diana Miljuš, Eliza Patouris, Elli Papaloucas, Emilija Šumarac, Eugenia Francesca Soncini, Evis Michaelides, Farzanah Kirkup, Frosoulla Kofterou, Gabriella Norman Savva, George Nikolaou, Giovannie Presutti, Helen Savva, Heli Mangel, Irene Pavlou, Irina Buharova, Janette Charalambous, Jelena Vasić, Jen Brewster, Jesper Skov, Jessica C Vayianou, Joanna Hemingway, Julie Bond, June Doyle, Karolina Domaracka, Katie Sabry, Kiara Timm, Lavan Jeyarupalingam, Lia Petrodou, Liliana Jakovljevic Stavri, Liliy Zachariou, Lubka Mlčúchová, Maria Marcou, Maria Pavlou, Maria Schwarz Demetriou, Marija Reljić, Marinos Savva, Miki Fujiwara Pentecost, Minja Šumarac, Mirjana Miščević, Nailya Tavkaeva, Natalia Volshendorf, Natasa Katsiari, Navid Gholipour, Nearchos Ioannou, Negin Ehtesabian, Nikolas Constantinides, Nina Sumarac Jablonsky, Ola Hikari, Olga Alexeeva, Olivera Vulović Nikolou, Pamela Calver, Patricia Hitchen, Penny Zenonos, Peter Lammiman, Polydora Pericleous-Kakoulli, Rania Iakovou, Rozali Dobra, Salima Toumi, Sasha Morozova, Suzana Phialas, Silvia Brierley, Stephanie Petrou, Tania Pirilidou, Tatiana Ferahian, Tatjana Vidović, Tess Turner, Toulla Christou, Viktoria Vika, Vladimir Jablonsky, Zorica Popović, Zoritsa Mladenović and fifteen unknown contributors.
Animation and video editing / Motion research – collaboration:
Marinos Savva / Nicos Synnos – Lab for Animation Research (LAR) Department of the Fine Arts, Cyprus University of Technology.
Sound recording and composition: Dimitris Savva. Recorded in Troodos Forest, Cyprus.
Sound for samples: ‘Studena, Klana, Croatia’ by Wild_Rumpus. Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 3.0). Recorded by Ivo Vicic in May at 8:36 am, Studena woodlands, Croatia. Temp: 16C.
Workshop: Elena Gavriel and Nina Sumarac
Text: Dr Frosoulla Kofterou