Kaia Ansip

• BROKEN FORESTS
• Tutor: Annika Toots, Piret Hirv
• Cast metal

“Broken Forests” depicts the events of a recent forest fire in Portugal that irrevocably transformed the surrounding landscape before everyone’s eyes. The trauma of this apocalyptic experience has had a profound impact on the author’s relationship with the land that suddenly seems dangerous and unpredictable. The work is a mixture of longing for former lives and places, compassion, fear, and care. It expresses concern and love for a place taken over by eucalyptus plantations and peoples’ selfish needs.

The airy bark of the cork tree, which grows naturally in Portugal, makes it resistant to fire; while the eucalyptus, which comes from abroad, is highly flammable. The two contrasting species work to separate the past from the present, irreconcilable worlds.

To materialize the idea, the bark of the cork oak is used as molds. Cork bark is resistant to low melting temperatures; but at high temperatures, the material was destroyed. In both cases, resilience and perishability are recorded in the imitations.

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