Beuys’ Acorns

Lovely installation outside Tate Modern of oak trees grown from the acorns of trees in another artwork “7000 Oaks – City Forestation Instead of City Administration”.

Concentrate, this gets a bit complicated! In the early 1980s Joseph Beuys planted 7000 trees in Kessel in Germany. Blocks of basalt were placed next to each newly planted tree. He hoped it would encourage people to plant more trees and it has inspired projects around the world.

Artists Ackroyd and Harvey have collected acorns from trees in the original project and 100 were in this display. Seven will be planted in the local area to continue the original project.

The display created a lovely tranquil space at the back of the gallery and it was a nice touch that Beuy’s “The End of the Twentieth Century” was being shown in The Tanks  below which used basalt stones like those used in “7000 trees”.

Closes 14 November 2021

 

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