Experimentation: Family Tree Installation
Inspired by the tradition of tying ribbon or cloth to trees for a prayer or wish, the practice used to be common across the British Isles and is still done in certain spots. The ribbon is sometimes left as an acknowledgement and respect for the spirits of the land, sometimes left as prayers for either general blessing or specific aid for spirits. Though mine isn't quite as spiritual, I liked the concept and the pun 'family tree' too much to let go. I always saw the tradition as more confessional, although now I look back I think the wishes would be more appropriate than just the statements.
The tradition, though thought to be Pagan and Celtic in nature, is actually carried out globally, as trees are a sacred symbol in many cultures such as Native American rituals and Sundance Ceremonies were fabric is tied to trees. In Japan, there is the tradition of tying fortunes to trees or structures to increase the luck given. I did this myself whilst there as I had a fortune with moderate luck on and by tying it I increased my chances of having good luck - well, apparently anyway.
With all this in mind, I sewed into my ribbons some of the answers from my surveys and though it took a while and a lot of concentration because of the fiddly nature of sewing and the thinness of the ribbon. The sewing isn't very neat and though this is no fault but my own, I kind of like the handmade quality of it, it seems more personal than had it all be perfectly formed. There are mistakes too for that very reason, they seem more human than had they been printed or perfect in grammar or spelling etc.
The ribbons are in the trees outside my house for this experiment, but I do think they should be moved to a more public area - I essentially live in a field so there isn't any foot traffic so to say. So maybe I'll see if college will let me put them up or I'll just commandeer a tree in a local park. I'll need to talk to my peers and tutors first. I am a little disenchanted with this experiment however, I'm not sure if it's just that I need more ribbons or that it just doesn't feel like art to me. I think this is just because I've been told for so long what art should be (essentially a painting) breaking my own preconceptions is a challenge I'm trying to do.
To improve, I'll definitely try to sew more ribbons as I continue this project and I think I'll make them more about the things people would or would not change about their families. I'm going to leave the ribbons out however, to be weathered and to see if they last or not, in a sense like these relationships. I want to re-shoot without my neighbours' houses in too and maybe on a day that isn't quite as windy as well as doing a little video on the movement of the ribbons because I feel this is a big part of the piece that isn't caught in photographs.