Sala 1 is pleased to present the exhibition Learning with Trees. Artists for Climate and Environmental Solutions, featuring Boston-based artists Yuko Oda, Kendall Reiss, Cristi Rinklin, and Ash Eliza Williams, curated by Martina Tanga. The artists have observed and engaged in dialogue with trees, translating what they learned through the power of creativity and imagination into new works that form the core of the exhibition. Each artist experiences the relationship between nature and art in a unique way, as they explain in their own words:
Yuko Oda: “In my work, I invent moments where plants and animals mutate or intertwine into hybrids, and I imagine ecosystems adapting through unexpected collaborations. I merge organic and synthetic forms to envision a future shaped by resilience and connection.”.
Cristi Rinklin: “Trees have been present in my work for many years as individuals capable of action. If we consider non-human species, like trees, as possessing intelligence, we can view them as collaborators rather than inanimate objects.”.
Kendall Reiss: “The simple question: What can we learn by being with trees? has become a resounding call for my work. Objects-for-the-End-of-the-World, a new series of contemporary jewelry, reflects on the uncertainty of climate change and the geological temporality of trees. I see these jewelry-objects as containers — wearable seed vessels.”.
Ash Eliza Williams: “What do trees dream of? Do they dream of clouds, the threat of fire, the feeling of a moth’s wings brushing their leaves? Do trees share their dreams with one another through mycorrhizal networks?I see a beautiful American walnut tree from my studio window. It’s nestled among others, hidden in the forest, sheltered from the moonlight. Sometimes, on the most beautiful nights, I dream of this tree. Does it ever dream of me?”
The works on view include a variety of media: painting, sculpture, works on paper, and sculptural jewelry.
The exhibition is held under the patronage of WWF Italy – ETS and is supported by the University of Massachusetts Lowell, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, and Amici del Parco Carlo Felice.
