Bark (Platanus)

Media: photography

Number of images: 19

Print size: 16x20 inches

Execution: 2019

My neighbor removed a large Platanus tree (commonly called a plane or sycamore) from his front yard. When the arborist cut it down he dissected the trunk into several sections. I retrieved some of these which I used in a series of photographs called the Nature series (one image from this series can be found here: the last photograph on the page). When completed with that project, I placed the sections in our yard to decompose and to provide a habitat for insects and mushrooms. After eleven years outside covered with fallen leaves and soil, the bark from the wood (xylem) separated revealing underneath a surface texture similar to fur that contrasted with the rough exterior which is more like rock. The illusion of texture is one of the hallmarks of photography for me and as a result I decided to revisit these discarded objects and photographed both sides of the bark which became the subject of this work.

In my creative practice many of my photographic projects have their own life cycles which can consist of days or decades. What was interesting to me about making this work was the lack of intent: it was not my intention to wait eleven years to use these sections again as subject matter. It just worked out that way.

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #1

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #2

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #3

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #4

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #5

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #6

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #7

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #8

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #9

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #10

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #11

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #12

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #13

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #14

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #15

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #16

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #17

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #18

A photograph of the bark from the Platanus tree

Bark #19