artist: Andreja Džakušič
title: Save the Future. Tribute to a Tree
year: 2023
media: Performative action in public space
Artist’s Statement:
Save the Future is a long-term project in development that addresses environmental issues. The performative action Tribute to a Tree focused on the topic of air quality in urban environments. The action was dedicated to a large Norway maple (Acer platanoides, Lat.) that was cut down because its roots were threatening cultural heritage—Roman mosaics now displayed in the TIC building at Glavni trg in Celje. The TIC building now stands on the spot where the tree once grew.
It is a fact that trees in urban environments provide numerous benefits to humans. They produce oxygen, clean toxic gases, and trap dust particles from the air. They reduce the greenhouse effect by cooling the atmosphere, acting as natural air conditioning and lowering energy costs. Trees provide shade and protect against UV rays, limit runoff from rainwater, and reduce noise pollution. Thus, trees significantly contribute to the quality of life in cities.
In the performative action, I drew a tree on the building facade with petroleum jelly and wrote underneath it: “HERE ONCE STOOD A TREE. A NORWAY MAPLE.” I then blew ash from burnt wood onto the invisible drawing, making it visible. Carrying a young maple sapling, I walked to the intersection of Prešernova and Stanetova streets and placed the sapling at the center of a star-shaped marking. Using chalk, I wrote a spiraling text around the sapling, describing the benefits of trees in urban areas.
