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Wood from the felled Sycamore Gap tree is being offered to artists and organisations in a public art commission by the National Trust.
Two years after the tree was illegally cut down, an act that led to convictions for criminal damage to the tree and Hadrian’s Wall, the Trust seeks to transform the tragic loss ‘into a sense of hope, creative possibility and reconnection with the natural world.’ A large piece of the trunk, run by Northumberland National Park, is intended to form part of a commission, while the largest remaining section of the tree, the stump, is currently located at the visitor centre near Sycamore Gap.
The National Trust’s Ms.
Reilly stated that artists and organisations are invited to come up with proposals that will ‘inspire the public to connect with nature’ and the landscapes surrounding the site, by using the remaining timber as a ‘symbolic focal point.’ The possibilities for the art are wide-ranging, including a design for a single artwork, several pieces, or a design that is ‘more dispersed or participatory,’ demonstrating a desire to engage many people.
The announcement stated that information on how to bid for the commission is available on the National Trust website.
A shortlist will be drawn up, with the winning proposal to be officially announced in February.
This initiative is part of a broader effort; saplings from the tree, referred to as the ‘49 trees of hope,’ have already been given to various good causes across the UK, including Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool and a facility in Leeds, further underlining the focus on turning the act of destruction into a legacy of renewal.