wheel of change

Dear willow connection,

Last week I put you in the middle of the pond.

You deserve this special place.

So passers-by will see you, and if they make a little research they will understand your deeper meaning.

It is also important that you remain in the center of the pond, this way you will get your nutrients from the water and will purify it.

If you were to root in the ground you would not be able to do this.

Hence it is important for baskets like you to be taken care of, and every year your roots should be cut a little to make sure you live from the water.

Last week I found growing around the pond: ( scientific and dutch names)

Mentha aquatica, Watermunt

Sonchus oleraceus, Gewone melkdistel

Rubus frucicosus, Gewone braam

Bellis perennis, Madeliefje

Heracleum sphondylium, Gewone berenklauw

Urtica dioica, Grote brandnetel

Iris pseudacorus, Gele lis

Glechoma hederacea, Hondsdraf

Salix alba, Schietwilg

Crataegus monogyna, Eenstijle meidoorn

Convulvus arvensis, Akkerwinde

Phragmites australis, Riet

Stellaria media, Vogelmuur

Ranunculus acris, Scherpe boterbloem

Sambucus nigra, Gewone vlier

Vicia cracca, Vogelwikke

Plantago major subsp. major, Grote weegbree

Eupatorium cannabinum, Koninginnekruid

Lonicera, Kamperfoelie

Rumex obtusifolius, Ridderzuring

I was asked a colleague if you belonged to the Land Art tradition.

I am afraid I am not an art critic to answer this question.

To me Land art is a conceptual art form, it gives traces of things.

This piece has many more functions.

It is alive and will evolve.

It’s surroundings will evolve and the ecosystem it lives in will become stronger.

As the pond gets purified the biodiversity in and around the pond will increase.

The baskets were woven through a series of free workshops, to give people the knowledge of this simple technique originating from the Permaculture tradition.

Food could be grown in the baskets, I will give information about this in another post.

The piece is in process, during the time of the exhibition notes, pictures, drawings and paintings will be made.

So if I am part of my history having roots in Scotland and Belgium by blood, then this piece is part of Land Art.

But I also have roots in Spain, Asia and Eden by mind.

“The willow connection” looks forward and facilitates change.

Change in the water it lives on,

Change in the minds and the bodies of visitors.

It connects.

Reconnects.