Eavesdrop on eloquent trees at Biloela exhibition

Once Upon A Forest – The Eloquence of Trees is an exhibition by Central Queensland artist Veronika Zeil, now on show at Biloela’s Banana Shire Regional Art Gallery.

The exhibition is about the fascinating ability of trees to communicate and interact on levels we are only beginning to understand, and includes works on paper and canvas, photography and digital work, and an installation.

The exhibition was inspired by an art residence at Hambidge Art and Science Centre in Georgia, USA, last year. The residence in the forest of the Appalachian Mountains encouraged Veronika to use the science behind tree communication as the base for her new works.

The resulting works evolved around the measurements of ‘conversations' between trees, the complex connections within forest ecosystems and how irreparably they are interrupted by continuous tree clearing and large forest fires.

The artist used charcoal, and bistre Ink made from charcoal, from the Cobraball Fire at Yeppoon to create some of her drawings.

Forest Fire shows a site of the Cobraball Fire, Yeppoon, Queensland in 2019, where homes and property were lost and damaged as well as much native vegetation and wildlife were lost. Visual artist, Veronika Zeil, collected charcoal from the fire to make bistre ink.

Who said trees cannot talk, feel, share and act collectively? We may not hear or see evidence of their communal activities as we hike through forests, but science allows us to gain more and more insight into the hidden lives of trees.

Zeil’s artwork evolves around stories and scientific discoveries about trees as feeling and communicating beings. Across species, the forest ecosystem is linked in many intriguing ways, from fungi to sound, electromagnetic waves, scent and chemical signals. Trees will warn, nurture, support and protect one another, learn from past mistakes and collaborate with relatives and across species.

Veronika uses scientific insights as the starting point for semi abstract drawings, paintings, photographs, installation and multimedia works.

“Once Upon A Forest pursues a deeper relationship with nature and poses questions about the limits of human knowledge and imagination”, she says.

“Visualising relationships between trees in their different communities, which I call the wood wide web, inspired these art works.

“Silent communications and invisible lifelines connect most living things in the ecosystem. We can't actually talk to trees, but trees certainly do talk to each other.

“Trees communicate through their roots using the mycelium of fungi, intertwining with each other, checking each other's growth, feeding and sending warnings to friends.

“In the wake of the terrible fire season in Australia, there is a recognition of the need to adapt our lifestyle and attitudes to a warming world as well as finding new ways to protect our forests as well as ourselves.

”Healthy forests are an important part of balancing carbon cycles, but the progressive loss of forests on our planet destabilizes our climate as well as causing loss of biodiversity. Annual wildfires are detrimental not only to society but also long-term sustainability of our existence.”

"Echo Forest #2" is a metaphor for reflections upon forest communities as well as our treatment of forest. The forest "echoes" a sense of "self" as well as the interactions with culture, history, politics, and economics. It is impacted by global mobility, migration, and blurred boundaries between the natural and built environment.

Exhibition details

Once Upon A Forest - The Eloquence of Trees: official opening February 15, from 10am

Banana Shire Regional Gallery, Valentine Plains Rd, Biloela, at 11am.

The opening event is a garden-based celebration with live music by Saxophonic, a plant market and swap, and a gallery tour by artist Veronika Zeil.

The exhibition will be on show until March 13.