Power of Trees: Signature summer exhibition to feature more than 50 tree species across the Garden
Six interactive outdoor artworks on view, along with gallery exhibitions, musical performances, and special tours & classes
WASHINGTON AVENUE — Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) will present Power of Trees, a summer and fall program series centered on the ways trees serve as pillars of our natural and cultural worlds, from June 17 to Oct. 24, 2023. Anchored by an exhibition of six site-specific sculptures by emerging New York artists, Power of Trees will be experienced by visitors across the Garden through visual art, performances, and special events as well as simply by walking the grounds, where 52 of BBG’s most extraordinary trees will be highlighted through scientific, horticultural, and personal narratives.
“Trees are at the center of our natural communities. Throughout the world, and especially in dense urban areas, they’re essential to healthy and hospitable environments. Trees are extraordinary natural ‘machines’ that absorb pollution and give us oxygen. They make our neighborhoods beautiful and vibrant and inspire artists and writers of all ages. This is exactly why we need to protect trees from the same impacts of climate change and pollution they help safeguard us from,” said Adrian Benepe, president and CEO of Brooklyn Botanic Garden. “We hope visitors will better understand and appreciate trees through the art and science they encounter in the Garden this summer and fall and learn how to advocate for them on a local, national, and global scale.”
The central art exhibition of Power of Trees, Branching Out: Trees as Community Hosts, features six site-specific sculptural works co-commissioned by BBG and AnkhLave Arts Alliance, inspired by the theme of trees as community hosts, and curated by Cecilia André. Participating artists are Sherwin Banfield, Amanda Martínez, Jasmine Murrell, Seema Lisa Pandya, Niceli Portugal, and Natsuki Takauji, all of whom are based in New York City. Branching Out is part of the AnkhLave Garden Project, an ongoing series of art exhibitions in public gardens featuring local BIPOC artists.