A new art installation has been created 15 minutes north of downtown Milwaukee inspired by the plight of ash trees.
An essential part of forest and urban canopies, ash trees have been hit hard by a beetle called the Emerald ash borer. The invasive insect was found in Wisconsin in 2008.
When visiting artist Daniel Minter saw the devastation within Lynden Sculpture Garden’s woodland he decided it would be his focus during his residency.
Minter zeroed the striking remains of an 80-year-old ash tree. It rises along the southern edge of Lynden Sculpture Garden, where sculpture meets woodland. The desolate tree is the subject of Minter’s installation.
“It’s the first time I had been and in this area for a long time and I saw the beautiful gardens but also saw the bare trees,” Minter says.
Up until then Minter says he’d only seen photographs of beetle-infected ash trees. The state of Maine, where he lives, hasn’t experienced its impacts yet.
“This is huge, the amount of damage this caused. And, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I said I want to work with this,” Minter says. “I also, I really love the forest.”
Minter’s body of work stretches over decades, with exhibitions and installations across the U.S. and as far away as West Africa. Often Minter infuses rich colors into his pieces.
But at Lynden, the dead ash tree guided Minter’s focus and color palette.
So as a crew began “pruning” the once robust tree to a 30-foot spire, Minter began carving what he calls “beads” from its branches. The orbs range from grapefruit-sized down to “acorn in the shell” size.
Over a two-year period, Minter commuted back and forth from Maine to Wisconsin. He welcomed Lynden visitors to join in.
“But not everybody can handle sharp tools. As an exercise of engagement I wanted to include the option of just burning designs unto the wood and even sanding, (so) they can engage in the project in some kind of way,” Minter says.
He also worked with students — mid-elementary through high school — virtually. "Because of COVID it took a long time," Minter explains.
All told, nearly 1,000 people had a hand in the ash project.
“The whole project is about engaging with the material in order to embed our energy into this material and contemplate what has happened to this tree,” Minter says.
He strung the beads on sturdy wire, creating five strands of various lengths — like giant necklaces to adorn the tree. The next day he would lead a celebration and installation.
“See how these, how it has these little places that just out where branches were, I will attach some from there and there, and above," Minter says. "We’re going to attach these bundles all around the top part."
Minter invited people to help fill exactly 256 pieces of muslin with wood chips and sawdust created while carving beads. Each bundle is big enough to fit in the palm of your hand and is tied shut with twine.
“Two hundred fifty six is the number of combinations of life events that we can have according to ifá divinations,” Minter explains.
The artist learned about the ancient West African spirituality system as an adult, but says when he did, he realized it has been flowing through his art and life, starting with his childhood in South Georgia.
“The practice and custom that Africans brought over during the transatlantic slave trade were embedded and hidden within other parts of the culture. And I feel like my connection to the carving and wood and storytelling comes from that as well,” Minter says.
Time had run out for this introduction to Minter’s world.
A hydraulic lift stood ready to convey him to the top of his ash, where Minter and a colleague would reverently hammer the 256 bundles into place closer to the top of the beetle-ravaged tree.
Just one last question – that a sudden breeze unfortunately swallowed. I ask, does Minter believe we’re connected to everything we see around us. His answer? How can we not be!
“When people talk about wanting to be in nature. That confuses me in my thinking a little bit because you cannot get out of nature … You can be unaware but that doesn’t change a thing about the way it functions because you are a part of it. Even after death, the process continues,” Minter says.
The next day, over 100 people gathered to celebrate the ash bead strands being draped over the ash tree.
They will remain as long as time and the elements allow.
Since its installation, Minter has named the piece "Muti." It means tree and traditional medicine in the languages of several countries, including Zimbabwe.
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