About No.34

In Dean Clough Mills, Halifax, one of 34 trees planted in a biophilic attempt to soften the urban landscape, is the subject of this series of art works. The site was chosen to provide a high footfall, man-made area for the first of the works in the ‘Kincentric Sanctuary’ series entitled ‘Addressing Nature’. Featured on BBC Radio 4 Today, No.34 Tree is becoming a celebrity in its own right, providing an opportunity for those who might be curious to connect with some of its residents and visitors.

No.34 Tree - 1hr 44 minutes into the programme.
Addressing No.34 Tree

No.34 Tree is home to a vast number of species from lichen to birds and sits amongst the paving surrounded by seating and regularly frequented if not largely ignored by hungry workers and smokers. By revealing the ‘other-than-human’ occupancy’ the works ask the viewer to notice the tree and perceive it differently, to reveal what is largely ignored – to stop and become aware. To achieve this No. 34 Tree has been given an address, placing a natural and largely ignored feature into the realms of a human construct, ‘Addressing Nature’ implies ownership or at least occupancy by others.

What can you see?

The artworks rely on a cyclical trail of entry. One can enter the trail from 3 different places: No.34 tree itself, the gallery wall or via the website. Each entry point will place the viewer onto the trail toward the two remaining places. Yet each can exist on its own merit and exist interchangeably in both digital and physical space. Near the Crossley Gallery 5 mounted artworks portraying the 5 observed species trigger a browser-based AR experience. A further entry point drives an inadvertent audience to the website via Google maps where No.34 tree is listed as a ‘House Builder’ to further cement the concept of ‘addressing nature’.

Art works

This series seeks to spotlight 5 of the many occupants and visitor species observed at the address. Each of the 5 have their portraits captured through the essence of their being: through song, habits, morphology, biology and presence. Each portrait asks us to stop, listen and see the patterns of their existence. Static portraits augmented with sound and animation seek to reconnect the viewer back to their neighbours, to defamiliarise and close the distance to see it up close and anew. You can view the Portrait Prints in the Crossley Gallery Reception and experience their augmented animations.

Thinking

At the tree itself, an estate agents ‘Sold’ sign asks the viewer to question its presence and consider the concept of ‘Addressing Nature’. What has been sold? Who owns No.34 tree? The sign directs the viewer to 5 intaglio prints in the Crossley Gallery reception in Dean Clough Mills. The print portraits seek to further amplify the concept of revealing the residents of No.34. Each print, through the addition of an attached spyhole, urges the viewer-turned-participant to haptically connect to each portrait revealing further instruction to scan the QR code augmenting each portrait with sound and animation.

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