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The Seven Thousand Mother Tree
2006
proposal for the City of Theran, Iran
Will not be realized.
Projects
Looking at the oldest civilisations on earth, for example, Anatolia and Mesopotamia, some 7000-8000 years ago, the cradle of many different religions and cultures, we see that one of the oldest sculptures found is that of the Goddess Mother. She is worshipped as a symbol of fertility and creative power.
Many old cultures believe that the earth was born out of the body of a primeval mother, the goddess of the earth, visualised as an image of a pregnant woman. This mother figure is an important person in the transmitting of culture, tradition and lessons of life to the next generation.
In this project ‘The Seven Thousand Mother Tree’ this idea of the Goddess Mother is combined with the tree as a metaphor for life.
A tree is a very old form of life, but is also very rich with meaning. Tree of Life, or Family Tree are familiar phrases. The tree is a place of shelter when the day is hot, it functions as a kind of lung for the busy city for it produces oxygen. It is a home for birds and other living creatures. When it blooms it adds beauty to its surroundings. Its ramifications stand for the growing of life and spreading of civilization.
For this project a living tree in the city is selected. In the tree 'seven thousand' (symbolic) banners, pieces of colourful textile will be hung. These banners will look like a kind of 'flower', of 'blossom'. The idea is to use banners composed of many different types of textiles from many different origins as a reference to all the individual lives of all times and from all over the world.
On each banner the child's word for mother 'Mama' will be painted in many different languages --Maman, Mama, Mutti, Mummy, Okasan, Ibu, Bu, Ma, Moesje, Muttie etc. The word 'Mama' will be painted in these different languages because of the many different civilizations and many different cultures in the world. The words itself will be painted on the banners in a golden, yellow colour. This colour symbolizes the energy of life, of (human) warmth and compassion.
A school could be involved in the realization of the work. School children could participate in writing in paint on pieces of textile in many different languages the many ways one can say "mother".
The tree, with all these colourful banners, will appear like a celebration of nature, and a celebration of 'the mother' who give birth to new life. But it is also a celebration of children with their lively voices, the new generation continuing the progress of civilization.
This project might also remind to how in countries like Japan little banners of paper are attached to the branches of trees, asking the gods for favours and help.
