The Blue Trees

Photo Credit:  Poppytalk

I drove by an art installation in progress here today which sort of stopped me in my tracks and after detouring to take a few photo's, I recalled an article in our local paper about this artist from Australia coming to the Vancouver area participating in the Vancouver Biennale. After a bit of searching I found his name, Konstantin Dimopoulos who will be creating these blue forests in the City of Richmond, Port Moody and West Vancouver.

According to the Vancouver Biennale blog, Dimopoulos hopes that his work will be part of a larger international discussion with the hopes of blue forests in cities worldwide. Each year an area at least the size of Belgium of native forests is cleared from around the planet. So much a part of our daily lives, they are the lungs of the planet and attention must be paid.

"Colour is a powerful stimulant, a means of altering perception and defining space and time. The fact that blue is a colour that is not naturally identified with trees suggests to the viewer that something unusual, something out of the ordinary has happened. It becomes a magical transformation."
People will be happy to know, the colour used on the trees is biologically safe pigmented water. As an ephemeral artwork, the colour will naturally degrade and the trees gradually will revert to their natural state.


Photo:  Poppytalk
Photo
Vancouver Biennale.

Jan Halvarson

29 comments:

Unknown said...

cool!

Andrea @ strawberry-chic said...

Awesome, I would love to do a photo shoot there!

meenal @ maison marigold said...

how surreal!! xx meenal

blueditty said...

It does lead you to further consideration of the trees, but there's a feeling bordering on creepy when you see them...maybe it's the shade of blue?

Sydney Steenland said...

Amazing,... wonder how they painted all those branches.
Great concept to raise awareness.
Sarah

Jan Halvarson said...

blueditty - gee, that didn't even come to my mind. funny how we all interpret things. it's actually the opposite to me, and quite stunning.

Jan Halvarson said...

Andrea @ strawberry-chic - would be a great spot for a photo shoot.

EE said...

Awesome! magical and surreal :) wow!

Hisforhouse said...

love to see how they look as they change over time - especially when they are covered in zingy green leaves!

Unknown said...

I don't like it. I think trees are beautiful as they are. I know that the colouring is biologically safe, but something just doesn't sit right with me. I live nature as it's intended!

Lula said...

I don't like it. I think trees are beautiful as they are. I know that the colouring is biologically safe, but something just doesn't sit right with me. I live nature as it's intended!

Lady Grey said...

this is so cool! I so wish I could see it in real life. Thanks for sharing!
xo

Pepe Fanjul said...

These blue trees are looking awesome and cool. I wish I could be there and have snap in this scene. Thanks For sharing.

agnes szucs said...

visually intriguing, and maybe in big volume it would pull the right attention/awareness as well... (i'm not sure, tho)

xo
agnes

CDC said...

reminds me of the tree installation in Montreal's Palais des congrès...

CDC said...

here's a link to photos of the pink trees... these ones are fake, though. the building itself is quite beautifully designed, too.

Jan Halvarson said...

Hi Camille,

Oh I don't think the link is there - would love to see.

Cindy W. said...

In thailand, monks bless the trees and tie material around them. It's a huge superstition to cut them down after they've been blessed. They saved a lot of trees that way.

Kristin said...

That is incredible! I wonder if the trees will have blue rings once they outgrow the allover blue?

kickpleat said...

This is so cool! Will totally try to visit one of these blue forests soon!

sarah - dodeline design said...

Incredible, I love this!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I love it!! Thanks :D

Cece said...

Have you seen the Knitted Wonderland on the grounds of the Blanton Museum at the University of Texas in Austin? Awesome.

http://knithacker.com/2011/03/14/a-knitted-wonderland-blanton-museum-yarn-bombing-by-knittaplease/

Jan Halvarson said...

Cece - yes we posted about it earlier

Donaville said...

trees from where the blue man group hail from? hehe. i like it, def. intriguing.

Intres said...

I love it!!

laurin said...

i took photos of my daughter at the Richmond trees. they are quite stunning in person.

http://sadielouiseovergaauw.wordpress.com/2011/03/30/blue-trees/

Anonymous said...

fantastic...stunningly beautiful & completely original...Bravo!

Charity Coon said...

Hi. I think you forgot to mention the reason why those trees are covered with biologically safe paint. Like all artists work, they send a message and what Kon is doing is sending a bold message by showing such an uncommon color of blue on a tree. The idea is to get people to notice the trees. It is a way to get people to be aware of deforestation as since with deforestation, very few people realize how much trees are being shaved off the planet because they are hidden so well by lumber companies.

Though I do agree that trees are beautiful in their own way, most people don't always think of that. SO by painting bright blue color on trees, people notice them.

How I know? I volunteered with Kon and overheard him explaining to multiple people :P