Silent Spring, an immersive environmental installation at Motor House (12/1/20-2/1/21), explores humanity’s connection to the environment through a journey that is both an expedition and a contemplation.
Rows of 1,000 prehistoric-sized Princess Tree leaves (Paulownia tomentosa) frame an ethereal leaf labyrinth. These leaves, classified as an invasive species of weeds, are typically found in soils hurt by construction or fire and frequently located in pavement cracks or by powerlines at the road’s edge. They grow 15 feet/year until smothering the canopy. All leaves were sourced from the Baltimore region over the course of one year.
In Japan, it's customary to plant a Princess Tree when a girl is born. When she is eligible for marriage, the tree is cut down and carved for her dowry. Women and nature, around the world, intersect and are tied to issues of claim, commodity, and climate change.
The labyrinth opens to two large I-beam steel armatures which hold two Princess Trees. (8'x22'x8')