Symbiont James Plane

Private Collection, London

75 x 55 cm

Acrylic and oil on canvas.

This painting is part of my Symbiont series, portraits of friends merging with trees. The Symbionts are inspired by the cracks in the pavement where trees take root, in the decay and rebirth of the world. They emphasize our interconnectedness with the other living things that make up our planet, and highlight the decisions we need to make if we are to survive as a species. In our post-industrial world we’ve lost our connection to the Earth- but today many people are looking to re-establish this connection. Green burials, having trees planted on your grave or having your ashes fertilize a tree, are an ancient concept that is newly popular; people today are interested in becoming trees after their death.

James and Aava are portrayed merging with a London Plane tree. One will grow upon the ruins of the others. The past and the future occur simultaneously. The London Plane Tree, a hybrid of the American sycamore and Oriental plane trees, is a popular urban tree due to its compact root structure. Its bark has the amazing ability to absorb atmospheric pollution. The characteristic mottled patterns of its bark are due to oversaturated pieces of bark shedding so that the tree can continue to breathe. The tree is ubiquitous in London and is seen by some as symbolic of the city.