David Nash
Untitled (tree trunk)
David Nash's Untitled is an object made of a tree trunk obtained in south-eastern Poland, selected by the artist from among trees intended for logging and later burned. The charred surface emphasizes the crevices and cracks in the wood, and colour of soot introduces a new, yet natural colour. The passage of time causes changes in the natural material such as, for example, additional cracks and mimics the aging processes present in nature.
Nash’s work contains an environmental message, especially today when human activities are destroying life on our planet. The artist makes sure that his activity does not contribute to wood being wasted, and treats the materials obtained (wind-fallen trees or trees intended for logging) with respect, and uses each branch of such a tree.
David Nash is a British sculptor, one of the best-known representatives of Land Art. He graduated from Kingston College of Art (1967) and completed postgraduate studies at the Chelsea School of Art. He works with natural materials; specializes in processing wood obtained from fallen tree trunks, using traditional pre-industrial tools. Another form of his work is planting trees and shaping them over time to create arches, domes, and other architectural forms.