Trees & Other Ramifications: Branches in Nature & Culture

Exhibition

Exhibition Overview

Trees & Other Ramifications: Branches in Nature & Culture
Trees & Other Ramifications: Branches in Nature & Culture
Stephen Goddard, curator
Central Court, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Trees and other Ramifications offers an open-ended look at some of the many ways that trees are meaningful to humanity and important in the natural world.

Exhibition images

Works of art

F. O. Marvin (1852–1915), Sketch Club Feed
Sketch Club Feed
F. O. Marvin
1888
Birger Sandzén (1871–1954), Giant Cedars
Giant Cedars
Birger Sandzén
1922
Jerry Norman Uelsmann (1934–2022), Apocalypse II
Apocalypse II
Jerry Norman Uelsmann
1967
Carleton Emmons Watkins (1829–1916), Grizzly Giant, Mariposa Grove
Grizzly Giant, Mariposa Grove
Carleton Emmons Watkins
circa 1859
Karl Blossfeldt (1865–1932), Eryngium Bourgatii Mannetreau
Eryngium Bourgatii Mannetreau
Karl Blossfeldt
circa 1926–1928
Elliott Erwitt (1928–2023), Bearded Man with Tree, Venice, CA
Bearded Man with Tree, Venice, CA
Elliott Erwitt
1976
Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000), Plant Trees Avert Nuclear Peril
Plant Trees Avert Nuclear Peril
Friedensreich Hundertwasser
1980
Jacob van Ruisdael (1628 or 1629–1682), The Cottage on the Hill
The Cottage on the Hill
Jacob van Ruisdael
1650s
George Charles Miller (1894–1965); Grant Wood (1891–1942); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000), Tree Planting Group
Tree Planting Group
Grant Wood, Associated American Artists, George Charles Miller
1937
Dr. Harold Eugene Edgerton (1903–1990), White of the Eye
White of the Eye
Dr. Harold Eugene Edgerton
1979
David Johnson (1827–1908), Oak with Man in Hammock
Oak with Man in Hammock
David Johnson
1883
Kenji Nakahashi (1947–2017), Trimming
Trimming
Kenji Nakahashi
1987
Birger Sandzén (1871–1954), Brook with Cottonwood Trees
Brook with Cottonwood Trees
Birger Sandzén
1934
Ansel Adams (1902–1984), Redwoods, Bull Creek Flat, Northern California
Redwoods, Bull Creek Flat, Northern California
Ansel Adams
circa 1960
Mildred Bryant Brooks (1903–1995), Among Branches
Among Branches
Mildred Bryant Brooks
1941
Rockwell Kent (1882–1971), Bringing Home the Christmas Tree
Bringing Home the Christmas Tree
Rockwell Kent
1928
Mary Nimmo Moran (1842–1899), The 'Home Sweet Home' of John Payne, East Hampton
The 'Home Sweet Home' of John Payne, East Hampton
Mary Nimmo Moran
1885
Carl Wilhelm Kolbe the elder (1759–1835), Man and a Small Boy in a Wood
Man and a Small Boy in a Wood
Carl Wilhelm Kolbe the elder
1789
Wilhelm Hammerschmidt (active 1850-1869), Arbre de la Vierge, pres du Caire (Tree of the Virgin, near Cairo)
Arbre de la Vierge, pres du Caire (Tree of the Virgin, near Cairo)
Wilhelm Hammerschmidt
circa 1860
Joan Nelson (born 1958); Cirrus Editions Ltd. (founded 1970), untitled (after Edward Hicks)
untitled (after Edward Hicks)
Joan Nelson, Cirrus Editions Ltd.
1993
George Elbert Burr (1859–1939), Old Cedars and Spanish Peaks
Old Cedars and Spanish Peaks
George Elbert Burr
1922
Howard Norton Cook (1901–1980), Wind in the Elms
Wind in the Elms
Howard Norton Cook
1926
Robert Kipniss (born 1931), Spring Secrets
Spring Secrets
Robert Kipniss
1980
Mark Leithauser (born 1950), The Little Pigeon
The Little Pigeon
Mark Leithauser
1981
Mark Leithauser (born 1950), Birches
Birches
Mark Leithauser
1980
Tanaka Ryōhei (1933–1999), Trees #3
Trees #3
Tanaka Ryōhei
1974, Showa period (1926–1989)
Jan Toorop (1858–1928), Dorpshuizen or De Dode Boom (Village Houses or The Dead Tree)
Dorpshuizen or De Dode Boom (Village Houses or The Dead Tree)
Jan Toorop
1897
William Sharp (1803–1875); John Fisk Allen (1785–1865), untitled (under side of a leaf)
untitled (under side of a leaf)
William Sharp, John Fisk Allen
1854
Württemberg Metal Factory (founded 1853), dessert fork
dessert fork
Württemberg Metal Factory
circa 1905
Jacques Callot (1592–1635), La Pendaison (The Hanging)
La Pendaison (The Hanging)
Jacques Callot
1633
Hieronymus Cock (circa 1510–1570); Jan and/or Lucas van Doetecum (active 1554–1580); Master of the Small Landscapes (active mid 1500s), Village Street
Village Street
Hieronymus Cock, Jan and/or Lucas van Doetecum, Master of the Small Landscapes
1559–1561
Franz von Stuck (1863–1928), Forellenweiher (Trout Pond)
Forellenweiher (Trout Pond)
Franz von Stuck
circa 1890
Donald Resnick (1928–2008), Shoreline
Shoreline
Donald Resnick
circa 1997
Donald Resnick (1928–2008), Woods/Morning
Woods/Morning
Donald Resnick
1998
Wiliam Alfred Delamotte (1775–1863), untitled (resting men and dogs under a large tree)
untitled (resting men and dogs under a large tree)
Wiliam Alfred Delamotte
1802
Charles Merrick Capps (1898–1981), Mountain Cottonwoods
Mountain Cottonwoods
Charles Merrick Capps
1957
George Grosz (1893–1959), Der Lebensbaum (The Tree of Life)
Der Lebensbaum (The Tree of Life)
George Grosz
1928
Doug Starn (born 1961); Mike Starn (born 1961), Structure of Thought 15
Structure of Thought 15
Doug Starn, Mike Starn
2001–2005
Linda Connor (born 1944), Western Courtyard, Ta Prohm, Cambodia
Western Courtyard, Ta Prohm, Cambodia
Linda Connor
2003
Charles Chaplin (1907–1987), Edge of the Forest
Edge of the Forest
Charles Chaplin
1965
Charles Chaplin (1907–1987), In the New Forest Glade
In the New Forest Glade
Charles Chaplin
1962
Jacques Hnizdovsky, Copper Beech
Copper Beech
Jacques Hnizdovsky
1985
Francois Houtin, Abecedaire
Abecedaire
Francois Houtin
2004
Roger Medearis (1920–2001), Native Oak
Native Oak
Roger Medearis
1979
Shigeki Tomura, untitled
untitled
Shigeki Tomura
1979
Pok Chi Lau (born 1950), Tree Farm, Zibo, Shantung Province, China
Tree Farm, Zibo, Shantung Province, China
Pok Chi Lau
2004
Pok Chi Lau (born 1950), title unknown (tree planting)
title unknown (tree planting)
Pok Chi Lau
2005
Pok Chi Lau (born 1950), Lone Lychee Tree, Shenzhen, China
Lone Lychee Tree, Shenzhen, China
Pok Chi Lau
1994
Sterculia snowII Lesquereux (type) (fossil leaf)
Sterculia snowII Lesquereux (type) (fossil leaf)
Cretaceous period, collected mid to late 1800s
Isidore of Seville, Hec est arbor Consanguineitatis (Here is the Tree of Blood Relationships) from Etymologiae. Liber Ethymologiarum Isidori Hyspalensis Ep[iscop]i.
Hec est arbor Consanguineitatis (Here is the Tree of Blood Relationships) from Etymologiae. Liber Ethymologiarum Isidori Hyspalensis Ep[iscop]i.
Isidore of Seville
1489
Bartolomeo Da Grado, Della famiglia Montalto, libri III, scritti da Giuseppe Aurelio de Gennnaro...
Della famiglia Montalto, libri III, scritti da Giuseppe Aurelio de Gennnaro...
Bartolomeo Da Grado
1735
Charles Darwin (1809–1882), Tree of Life
Tree of Life
Charles Darwin
1860
Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), The evolution of man: a popular exposition of the principal points of human ontogeny and phylogeny. From the German. London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co.
The evolution of man: a popular exposition of the principal points of human ontogeny and phylogeny. From the German. London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co.
Ernst Haeckel
1883
Ramon Llull, Arbor Moralis (Moral Tree)
Arbor Moralis (Moral Tree)
Ramon Llull
1469
Ramon Llull, Arbol Imaginal (Imaginative Tree)
Arbol Imaginal (Imaginative Tree)
Ramon Llull
1664
Lindley Eddy, The Pillars of Hercules and Thus Are Giants Murdered
The Pillars of Hercules and Thus Are Giants Murdered
Lindley Eddy
circa 1930
Michael Wolgemut (circa 1435–1519), Linea Regum Egipti Ptholomeus Dionisus (Lineage of Ptolemy XII, Dionysus) from Liber chronicarum.
Linea Regum Egipti Ptholomeus Dionisus (Lineage of Ptolemy XII, Dionysus) from Liber chronicarum.
Michael Wolgemut
1493
David Byrne (born 1952), Arboretum
Arboretum
David Byrne
2006
Valerie Lueth (born 1979), Programmable Do-Gooders
Programmable Do-Gooders
Valerie Lueth
2004
J. Augustus Knapp, A Fresh Rhizome of Cimifuga Racemosa
A Fresh Rhizome of Cimifuga Racemosa
J. Augustus Knapp
date unknown
Robert Bernard, Essai d’une Distribution Généalogique des Sciences et des Arts Principaux (Essay on a Genealogical Distribution of the Primary Sciences and Arts)
Essai d’une Distribution Généalogique des Sciences et des Arts Principaux (Essay on a Genealogical Distribution of the Primary Sciences and Arts)
Robert Bernard
1780
Ad Reinhardt (1913–1967); Thomas B. Hess; Kunsthalle, Dusseldorf, How to Look at Modern Art in America
How to Look at Modern Art in America
Ad Reinhardt, Thomas B. Hess, Kunsthalle, Dusseldorf
1946
Xu Bing (born 1955); Sophia Gakii (born 1998), untitled (tree)
untitled (tree)
Xu Bing, Sophia Gakii
2008
Klaus Staeck (born 1938), Und neues Leben blüht aus den Ruinen (And new Life blossoms from the ruins)
Und neues Leben blüht aus den Ruinen (And new Life blossoms from the ruins)
Klaus Staeck
1979
Harold Lukens Doolittle (1883–1974), What is man that thou art mindful of him? Psalm 8, 4
What is man that thou art mindful of him? Psalm 8, 4
Harold Lukens Doolittle
date unknown
David Byrne (born 1952), Winnebago Trainspotters in the Universe
Winnebago Trainspotters in the Universe
David Byrne
2002
David Byrne (born 1952), The Evolution of Category
The Evolution of Category
David Byrne
2003
David Byrne (born 1952), Being There
Being There
David Byrne
2004
Yellow-Breasted Bowerbird, bower
bower
Yellow-Breasted Bowerbird
date unknown

Resources

Audio

Didactic – Art Minute
Didactic – Art Minute
Episode 184, Episode 185 Apr-2009 I’m David Cateforis with another Art Minute from the Spencer Museum of Art. The early 20th-century German photographer Karl Blossfeldt is famous for his starkly elegant black-and-white photographs of plant forms. An impressive example of such work is a photograph Blossfeldt made in the 1920s of a single leaf of a thistle-like plant known as an eryngo or sea holly; its scientific name is Eryngium Bourgatii. This close-up view of the dark symmetrical leaf set against a white background emphasizes its strong vertical stem and diagonally branching spines. Simultaneously beautiful and menacing, the isolated leaf calls to mind a spiky architectural ornament and it is easy to imagine it translated into metal or stone. An influential art teacher in Berlin, Blossfeldt believed that nature’s forms provided aesthetic models for artistic and architectural design -- an idea that he demonstrated powerfully in his 1928 book Artforms in Nature, in which this image of the eyrngo was originally published. You can see Blossfeldt’s photograph in the current Spencer exhibition, Trees and Other Ramifications, on view through May 24th. From the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David Cateforis.
Didactic – Art Minute
Didactic – Art Minute
Episode 179 Feb-2009, Jayme Johnson I’m David Cateforis with another Art Minute from the Spencer Museum of Art. Visiting KU art professor Stacy Fox has designed the new Spencer Museum of Art Island in Second Life® which explores the world of art by going virtual. Second Life® is an Internet-based virtual realm allowing players to create their own virtual characters or avatars and explore the world that has been created by other users just like themselves. The Spencer Island presently relates to the exhibitions Climate Change at the Poles and Trees & Other Ramifications. Currently home to a large flooded area covered in icebergs, glacial information, enormous trees and a floating globe, the world will continue to evolve to incorporate future exhibitions and works from the permanent collection. In addition to the virtual world, this spring the museum’s Process Space will host a computer which visitors can use to explore the Second Life® Island. For more information about Second Life® or to download instructions on how to create your own avatar and begin your virtual adventure, please visit www.spencerart.ku.edu. With thanks to Jayme Johnson for her text, from the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David Cateforis.

Documents

Family Guide
Exhibition Pamphlet
Media Release