The captivating new piece of public artwork, made from 10,000 tree samples gathered from across the world and unveiled by the University of Bristol last May, is definitely worth a visit.
The intricate structure, called Hollow, is located in Royal Fort Gardens and represents the planet’s history and evolution through time. It was commissioned to mark the opening of the University’s £56.5million Life Sciences building and is produced by Bristol-based public art producers, Situations.
Described as a ‘modernist grotto’, it’s big enough to fit two people and promises to be an immersive experience as light falls through apertures in the ceiling, mimicking the way sunlight falls through trees in a forest. It took Katie Paterson three years to amass the samples, many of which have been donated by private collectors, arboretums and botanic gardens across the world.
Among the 10,000 pieces of wood is a fossil from an ancient forest which grew 390 million years ago where New York City now stands. Wood from more recent historic events also forms part of the structure, including part of the iconic Atlantic City boardwalk devastated by hurricane Sandy in 2012 and a sample from the Japanese Ginkgo tree in Hiroshima, a tree that witnessed and survived one of the darkest moments of human history.
Hollow will be open to the public during daylight hours all year round.
To Learn more, visit the Bristol University website and BBC Four documentary ‘What Do Artists Do All Day?‘.
