The Orchard
The Orchard consists of seven large-scale drawings of trees. When installed, these trees form an orchard that combines species from the old and new worlds: the fig, pomegranate, quince, dogwood, apple, walnut, and passion fruit. The trees bear characteristics of the species they represent in the forms of the leaves, branches, and fruit, but are flesh-colored, with recognizable textures of the human body (brain tissue, skin, blood vessels). The trees have female characteristics and show signs of aging, illness, alterations, scarring, and wounds. The trees are captured in different stages of development, but out of the natural order and often with two opposing stages combined in one tree (e.g. hibernation and fruit-bearing in the walnut). The fruit is shown still attached to the tree, but bruised, cut, ripped, burst, or altered in some way, either from outside forces or internal tension. Some fruits are encased in what appears to be plastic. The drawings are largely about displacement, aggression (both inward and outward), quiet or undetected violence, and self-protection, as well as imposed protection. The trees, which form a kind of family, exist in a strangely clean, artificial, exquisite world of sickness and grace.
