Tilia

I made this work in context of the exhibition Nomadic Leuven, organised by Veduta. We worked around De Becker Remy square where a beautiful, big Linden tree is growing. I invited the people living around the square to come together under the tree, to share the stories I collected, but also to think about what if we want to leave a kind of pain behind, what would it be? How can we by letting go make place for something new? 

‘Under the Linden one speaks justice’ so they say. The Linden tree knows the stories going around in villages. Where people find rest in her shadow, to catch up. The flowers and leafs soften your throat and have the ability to lower fever. At so many squares you can find a Linden tree. Where humans are settled there are Linden trees and the other way around. Since Ancient times there are traces to be found. Different rituals grew around Linden trees and are connected to them. Through the notion of time and different power claims, various stories evolved. From the Linden tree as a symbol of safety to a place for witches to be seen. 

One of these rituals is about 'the trees of illness'. When one would suffer from heavy pain or fever, you could go to the tree of illness to ask for help. You would hang a piece of textile that had touched your body, sometimes specifically the spot of pain, in the tree. By doing this, the pain was taken away from the body by the tree. A variation on this was to knock a nail into the tree. 

I went to search for traces of this kind of rituals. I found trees in Belgium that are still used upon today as 'trees of illness’ or that are kept in custody. 

Bringer of life

       — About corn

Bringer of life — About corn is an artistic research about the cornplant. I wondered why this plant takes up so much space in the Belgian rural landscape, while an emotional or cultural connection seems to be missing. What does a plant tells us if we are attentive and curious? While growing cornplants myself, I uncover stories that the plant caries within. Stories ranging from a lost connection with farmers, food and nature, to neglected history and climate destruction. What stories do we want to continue telling?