Celebrating Trees at SAC

On October 1, Southampton Arts Center (SAC) opens “A Celebration of Trees,” an ecological multi-media art exhibition created to educate and expand thought and consciousness about the world’s vast network of trees — a critical resource to humanity’s survival. Curated by Laurie Dolphin with Daniela Kronemeyer and Coco Myers, the show will feature work by East End artists as well as those who are internationally recognized, including Renate Aller, Charles Gaines, Beth Moon, Mr. StarCity, Frank Relle, Sebastião Salgado, Freeman Vines and Andy Warhol.

For 300 million years, trees have helped stabilize and improve environmental conditions for life on the planet and today are an essential solution to global warming. Raising awareness of the devastating consequences of deforestation and the threats faced to endangered ancient trees and forests, SAC’s new exhibition will showcase the beauty and mystery of trees while inspiring viewers to think more critically about how to protect them. Featuring powerful stories from around the world told through photography, painting, silkscreen, sculpture, film and poetry, the exhibition will also include important messages from the world’s Indigenous peoples — the original guardians of the forest.

“Ever since childhood, I have had a deep love and spiritual connection to the trees around me,” says Dolphin. “Now, as an adult and artist, I have come to realize that the universal importance of the tree world is fundamental to the survival of mankind. Simply put, we need trees and trees need us — we are forever interconnected. I know that this exhibition will transform our relationship, understanding, and appreciation of trees.”

Complementing the exhibition will be a series of programs including virtual and in-person talks, artist tours, workshops, films, and educational events in collaboration with environmental organizations from across the East End. A series of panel discussions will highlight myths and symbols of the tree world, scientific facts, stories related to their history on Long Island from the Indigenous perspective and how the destruction of forests contributes to climate change. SAC is also pleased to announce a collaboration with artist Sibylle Szaggars Redford who will contribute a film presentation with spoken word by Robert Redford.

“Now more than ever, our connection to the natural world must continue to thrive,” said Kronemeyer, who will also serve as SAC’s programming curator for the exhibition. “The devastation we have seen caused by over-logging, development, and wildfires has greatly impacted the survival of our forests and all beings who call it home. This exhibition will inspire the audience to think more deeply about our sacred connection to trees, and serve as a reminder that we each have the power to make a difference when it comes to the health of the environment.”

“The East End artists participating in this exhibition have a longtime connection to both the local arts community and to the environment,” Myers added. “Whether the work is representational or abstracted, it is inspired by nature: the light, the sea, the fields and the trees of eastern Long Island.”

The exhibition includes more than 80 artists from over 20 countries: Renate Aller, Joseph Ayers, Susanna Bauer, Fabienne Berthaud, Graeme Black, Scott Bluedorn, Meghan Boody, Michael Butler, Philippe Cheng, Franco Cuttica, Lieven De Boeck, Domenico DeCarlo, James DeMartis, Jeremy Dennis, George Digalakis, Laurie Dolphin, Leonardo Drew, Timothy Duffy, Idoline Duke, Eliot Elisofon, Robbi Firestone, Gay Gay Vincent von Furstenberg, Charles Gaines, Margaret Garrett, Jim Gingerich, Linda Adele Goodine, April Gornik, Damien Grant, Lama Gyurme, Harvey Herman, Michelle Jaffe, William King, Maria Klabin, Jack Leigh, Donald Lipski, Jaime Lopez, Claire Lucas, Kathryn Lynch, Alen MacWeeney, Kurt Markus, Roberta Marroquín, Christine Matthäi, Hugh Mbayiwa, Rifka Milder, Algernon Miller, Beth Moon, Mr. StarCity, Arlo Namingha, Dan Namingha, Michael Namingha, Shirin Neshat, Beth O’Donnell, Kryn Olson, Leila Pinto, Ron Pokrasso, Norman Reedus, Frank Relle, Alfred Richard, Dan Rizzie, Peter Rosenthal, Lionel Sabatté, Edwin Schlossberg, Michael Scott, Stuart Shapiro, David Benjamin Sherry, Jonathan Snow, Nakazzi Tafari, Barbara Thomas, Aurelio Torres, Diane Tuft, Sebastiāo Salgado. Amazônia, presented by TASCHEN, Michael Scott, Marcelo Silveira, Kiki Smith, Ned Smyth, Sibylle Szaggers Redford, Camilla Webster, Dan Welden, Amy Wickersham, Mark William Wilson, Hans Van de Bovenkamp, Freeman Vines, Andy Warhol, Prince Michel de Yougoslavie, Francisco Zapeda and others.

“A Celebration of Trees” is partnering with the nonprofit Archangel Ancient Tree Archive (ancienttreearchive.org), whose mission is to create living libraries of old-growth trees for the purpose of functional reforestation. The organization focuses on propagation, reforestation, archive and education. During the course of the exhibition, which will be on view through Sunday, December 18, SAC’s galleries will be open Friday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Gallery admission is free. Films are free for members.

Southampton Arts Center is at 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton. For more information, visit southamptonartscenter.org or call 631-283-0967.