The Life of a Dead Tree
Walks, Talks & Workshops
At first glance, The Life of a Dead Tree might feel like material for a natural history museum or science centre. At its core, it’s the excavation and study of a once-living organism and the various life forms it supported.
We hope our space provides a new context and sparks another way of thinking about our shared ecosystems and the crises that threaten them.
Join us and at sites around the city as we host a series of talks, workshops, and guided walks in appreciation for dead trees and the myriad life forms they support.
Nature Drawing and Journaling
Thursday, June 6, 1–4pm
Saturday, June 15, 1–4pm
Learn about different journaling styles and how to render natural objects. Begin your own nature drawing and journaling practices.
Drawing Insects
Sunday, June 16, 10am–12pm
Sunday, June 23, 10am–12pm
Sunday, July 7, 10am–12pm
Sunday, July 14, 10am–12pm
Draw insect specimens that have been cultivated from the tree on display, including the emerald ash borer beetle.
Melanie Sifton: Urban Ecosystem Management
Friday, May 31, 7pm
Horticulturalist Melanie Sifton presents a talk on urban ecosystem management and nature in the city.
Dr. Sandy Smith: Invasive Species
Friday, June 7, 7pm
Taking the ash tree on display in Mark Dion’s exhibition as her starting point, Dr. Sandy Smith discusses her research investigating the effects that invasive insects and dying trees have on forests.
Lisa Jackson in Conversation with Mathew Borrett
Wednesday, June 12, 7pm
For Biidaaban: First Light, Lisa Jackson joined forces with 3D artist Mathew Borrett to create an interactive virtual reality experience that pictures a future Toronto overgrown by nature.
Image Credits:
Mark Dion, The Life of a Dead Tree, installation view. Courtesy of the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery New York / Los Angeles/ Photo by Tom Arban Photography Inc.
Illustration courtesy of Nellie Sue Potter.
Mark Dion, The Life of a Dead Tree, Emerald Ash Borer, 2019. Illustration by Matthew Wells. Courtesy of the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery New York / Los Angeles. Photo by Tom Arban Photography Inc.
Mark Dion, The Life of a Dead Tree, installation view. Photo by Costabile Carpinelli.
Mark Dion, The Life of a Dead Tree, installation view. Courtesy of the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery New York / Los Angeles/ Photo by Tom Arban Photography Inc.
Biidaaban: First Light. Image by Mathew Borrett.
