Contemporary art
Waterborne woodland tells tales of transient lives
By The Art Newspaper. From In The Frame
Published online: 06 August 2012
Rootless Forest by Beth Derbyshire
Walk along the Birmingham and Black Country canals in the Midlands, England, at the end of August and you may well encounter a mobile art installation made up of trees, soil and sound recordings exploring themes of homecoming and relocation. This mini floating woodland, a collaboration between the artist Beth Derbyshire and voice director Tara McAllister-Viel, will be planted on a boat travelling at walking pace on the scenic waterways. But what lies beneath the foliage of the Rootless Forest? Ramblers and cyclists will hear recorded stories from the military and UK Afghan communities in Birmingham about the effects of conflict, relaying what it feels like to be uprooted. The New Art Gallery Walsall is behind the waterborne project, which is due to launch at Brindley Place in Birmingham on 31 August.
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