A Tree in the Woods

I went to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park today with a friend from my crochet group. She said she thought I needed to go now that I'm a blipper! How on earth was I going to decide on one photo from a 500 acre outdoor art gallery! Unfortunately it rained from the moment we arrived and lasted all day but we'd dressed for the weather so we just go on with it.

One of the current exhibitions is Giuseppe Penone's 'A Tree in the Woods'. My particular favourite was the Ideas of Stone (Idee di Pietra) and deep in the middle of the forest close to the 18th century 'Upper Lake' we came across Olmo. It felt very Tim Burton-esque! We were trying to work out how they knew the tree would hold the weight of the boulder but when we looked closer and tapped it, we realised it was made out of metal!

The internet says "on the one hand, despite its monumental size, the work is often mistaken for a real tree found in nature. The rocks that create an uncanny effect and that serve as the cue to the work’s status as a piece of art, on the other hand, are the most natural part of the entire sculpture."

Once we’d warmed up in the cafe, we stayed inside to look at the exhibition ‘Mister Finch: The Wish Post’. It was the most whimsical display of soft sculptures made from up-cycled and new materials, from discarded wire, steel and wood, to vintage tapestries, cross stitch samplers, tablecloths, antique silverware and rescued cloth.

“Finch’s Gothic fairytale centres around the story of The Wish Post, a magical kingdom of woodland animals whose job it is to collect and sort other creatures’ wishes, which are breathed into envelopes and posted in toadstool postboxes. For one night each year, The Wish Post creatures have the chance for their own dreams to be whisked away by the wind and come true. Badgers in blue jackets, hedgehogs playing brass bells, thimble-tailed rats, elegant swans, long-eared rabbits, and dapperly-dressed moles – all life-sized – gather together to prepare the wishes for the wind, ahead of The Wish Post festival.”

I bought the most beautiful tote bag - I must have 30 plus, but I couldn’t resist!

After a few hours we were completely drenched so I'm sure there was so much more to see and I will definitely be going back again - just on a dry day.  I need to take some better photos as I really struggled with the rain dripping down my neck and off my nose, and my phone struggled too with the outside photos as they are a bit washed out.  I think they will look much better with a nice blue sky in the background.

I've added a few of my favourites as extras. The first extra was a pile of potatoes in the corner of the room with 5 bronze potatoes scattered amongst them with facial features - I’m sure you can see.

The rabbit is one of the most photographed sculptures in the park and I can see why. She’s certainly very voluptuous!

The third is from The Wish Post.  The last, a beautifully bright and colourful mosaic sculpture.

Quote for today:
The tree is a spectacular creation because each part of the tree is necessary to its life. It is the perfect sculpture.
- Giuseppe Penone