Becoming Nutrient
An installation created for L.A.N.D as an artist in residency at Bernheim Forest and Arboretum.
At the center of Becoming Nutrient is a fallen log covered in brightly colored appliqué. The appliqué represents the fungus, slime molds, lichen and mosses found growing on decaying logs in Bernheim. This tiny life breaks down the log creating nutrients which feed the future forest.
Large fabric forms rise like ghosts from the log. These forms represent both the past generations of trees and the trees yet to come, all of which can only thrive with the help of the decomposers which release nutrients into the ground.
A tree’s spirit continues influencing and nurturing the forest ecosystem long after its physical form has fallen. Becoming Nutrient speaks to the nutrient cycle and the circular nature of life in the forest ecosystem.
These sculptures also give a new life to discarded materials. The sculptures are created from deconstructed, damaged, and unusable tents. All the parts of the tents were meticulously separated into their raw materials, and then cut and sewn into Becoming Nutrient.
The following organisms inspired the artwork. There were all found on Bernheim property by the artist either in person or on Naturalist.
Those with an asterisk are represented specifically in the artwork.
Fungus:
Earth Star * Amber Jelly fungus Birds Nest fungus * Hairy curtain crust * Devil’s urn cup fungus* Turkey tail, False turkey tail, Golden gilled Gerronema * Hexagonal Polypore *, Split tail, Wrinkled crust, Radulodon copelandii *, Hypoxylon canker, Common tar crust Fungus*
Lichen:
Common button lichen, Green shield lichen, Common Powderhorn, American rosette lichen
Slime Mold:
Chocolate tube slime mold *, Honeycomb corla slime mold, Tubifera Slime Mold *, Wolf’s milk
Moss:
Polytrichum Commune*, Redshank *
Becoming Nutrient is currently on display in L.A.N.D at Bernheim.