Trees: They produce almost a 3rd of the world's oxygen are sacrificially harvested to construct our homes and produce goods from rubber to coconuts. But are they art?
A brand new exhibition of large-format photographs on the David Brower Center in Berkeley argues that they’re indeed value our attention. East Bay photographer Stefan Thuilot has been pursuing what he calls California Forest Projectwith tens of hundreds of images captured from all 25 of the state's forest ecosystems. Yes, there are that many, from the paranormal redwoods of the north to the rugged conifers of the high plains to the gnarled oak groves of our own Henry Coe State Park.
The technology needed to print Thuilot's high-resolution images, composed of a whole lot of photos, at full size doesn’t yet exist – he hopes it can be available in the longer term. But the photos on display are still breathtakingly large, tree-like as much as 4 meters tall. In these photos, he tells stories not only in regards to the world's largest living organisms, but additionally about looming dangers reminiscent of inadequate forest management and increasingly devastating wildfires.
“I believe photography is a powerful tool,” he says, “to depict the changing landscapes that threaten their heritage.”
Details: Free admission. Open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. within the Hazel Wolf Gallery of the David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley; browercenter.org. The opening reception is May thirtieth at 6:30 p.m.; the show runs through August twenty second.
image credit : www.mercurynews.com