The Toasting The Trees series brought creatives and wood people together for fun, thought provoking evenings of creative expression centred around the many and varied ways trees and wood are visibly and invisibly a part of our everyday experience.Â
We developed a thematic structure for a series of four events, as well as a core event "armature" which consisted of spoken word, interactive object, VJ/DJ performance. Other Tasai members, TWIG members and event attendees could add offerings—poems, songs, readings, objects—to the event armature in a loose show and tell format.Â
The event was held at SPACE co-working space in Vancouver. Our April event featured a live video link with Yokohama Japan where Tasai member Steve Frost is participating in an artist residency.
Tasai hosted the event on behalf of TWIG (The Wood Innovation Group) a wood industry network hoping to stimulate creativity and innovation by interacting with artists and creatives.
Steve's residency has involved wood and tree themed installations, including Tasai collaborating with Salikhain Kolektib of the Philippines to present indoor and outdoor tree themed installations for the Koganecho International Artist Exchange Exhibition fall 2023.Â
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Trees have been an archetypal part of stories from all cultures, all through history. Trees and wood are part of all of our lives. Toasting the Trees honours the quiet, persistent, sometimes mystical presence of trees in our lives.
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Douglas Fir
“Look Up, It’s Douglas Firâ€
The intent to take root in this land
the older it gets, the tighter the growth rings will become, which makes it extremely strong
The intent spreads through our hands, it is used for beams, columns, ship’s masts...
and it waits for rebirth
“Look Up, It’s Douglas Firâ€
It’s an chance encounter between the intent being reborn, and the bearers of its future
~ Soramaru Takayama / English translation Soramaru Takayama, Yurie Hoyoyon, Steve Frost