Lynne Hull. Reservoir Tree. 1994.
Critique by Xavier Bentué
Title: Reservoir Tree
Artist: Lynne Hull
Year: 1994
Medium: wood poles, trunks, branches and ropes in a kind of assemblage
Size: 23’ tall
Location: Carsington Water, (near Peaks National Park) Derbyshire, England.
This is a “trans-species” work of art, as
the artist defines it, a kind of environmental installation that differs to
other land-art pieces because of
its ecological function. In this
case, the aesthetic object serves as well for roosting and nesting by colony
nesting waterbirds.
The whole object is made with a group of
wooden poles drived in the soil vertically as a several trunks of a strange
realistic (or almost surrealist) fantasy tree. This man-made tree has a beautiful crown of large twisted
branches, ropped together with the
poles. There is a birdbox nest
hanging on one side, a
central platform useful for waterbirds nesting and several hazel trees planted
alongside the piece, to provide
food and structure for wildlife in the future.
All the materials are carefully arranged
in respect of the natural sense but with deep artistical proposal at the same
time. The artist first goal is to
apply creativity to real problems and to make compatible his work with some
kind of effect on urgent social and environmental issues:
“My
sculptures and installations provide shelter, food, water or space for
wildlife…”
She carefully selects the site and makes
a deep research before the final installation of her works of art:
“Research and
consultation are essential to project success. I prefer direct collaboration with wildlife specialists,
environtmentalinterprets, landscape architects and local people for design
integration”.
Lynne Hull was born in Fort Carson, Colorado, in 1956. Raised in Los
Alamos, New Mexico (where his
father was moved after WW II, to
develop a scientist secret project on nuclear energy), Hull made a deep contact with
landscape. After moving to Fort
Collins, Wyoming, for living, she studied
arts in Wyoming University and worked for the Board of Fort Collins Audubon
Society (a non-profit organization
for study and protect nature),
where she headed the Backyard Habitat Garden Tour (see: www.fortnet.org/Audubon/Archive/GardenTour_2007.htm // www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/habitat.php )
She
was creating nature focused or environmental art al least since the ‘90s of the
past century, but the main environmental installations belongs to the XXI
century. Her latest works, like “Interdependencia con
la Naturaleza” or “Madreagua”
sculptures are really actions in nature,
selected and arranged elements interacting with natural flows and
forces. Also from this XXI century
are the so-called “Trans-species
art” (like the main piece we are
talking about here). The
“Raptor-roosts”, the “Floating
islands”, the “Hydroglyphs” or the “Garden Habitats” are some good exemples for
this (watch it at www.eco-art.org ).
Reservoir
Tree blends abstract and natural concepts in an inspired and quite veristic
achromatic (or very low chroma) piece,
with a very stimulating visual impact; deep, clear and easy because of the learned use of the scale,
site and background. Contrast of
lines and shapes (straight ones, other twisted, …) produce a strong dynamic effect, without losing the organic unity of the
object. The assymetrical balance of the piece is an expression of its natural
references, while the visible
ropes and man-made arrangements are the human footprints on the work. This is
one more soft contrast that artist used to show his though beyond the
craftwork. Harmony among Hull’s
tree and the rest of surronding habitat is clearly perceived by the visitors
and birdwatching people who refer stories and images of real birds standing on
the sculpture. This is the most
important success in order to achieve the artist’s goal and the very subject of
the “trans species” art. As a further step on the earthworks and land-art
direction, Lynne Hull’s work
remind us of some of Nash, Dougerthy and other artists proposals related to the
closest collaboration of art with nature.
This
piece makes me feel good. The
thoughs that arise to my mind when viewing it are of bright future for
humanity, if the art can follow
ideas like this one of Hull’s pieces.
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