A mini-forest made of real trees and soil planted onto a converted canal hopper is due to travel the canals of Birmingham and the Black Country.
The Rootless Forest is a mobile artwork conceived by Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) fellow Beth Derbyshire, which will tour the region’s waterways from 31 August to 7 October. Along its route the boat will moor at Birmingham’s Brindleyplace and Eastside districts and at Walsall Wharf next to the New Art Gallery Walsall.
When fully constructed, The Rootless Forest will weigh 15 tonnes, with 100 trees up to 3 metres tall planted along its 16 metre length. The trees are all native to the UK and include alder and birch. Donated by Walsall City Council, they will be re-planted in Walsall Arboretum once the project is complete.
During the journey, the boat will broadcast recorded stories from people affected by the current Afghan conflict, including UK military personnel who have served overseas and Afghans who have settled in Birmingham as a result of war in their homeland. The people interviewed, who have asked to remain anonymous, were introduced to Beth Derbyshire and collaborating artist Dr. Tara McAllister-Viel by The Royal British Legion and the charity Afghan Action. As The Rootless Forest moves slowly along the water, its continual motion poetically echoes these accounts of displacement and relocation.
See the Canal Junction waterways events page for a listing of Rootless Forest public events.
Information and image(s) courtesy of Rootless Forest News Release 30/8/12
