Wood Wide Web Birdbath

The Science

This piece is a celebration of the concept of tree communication through mycorrhizal systems - the symbiotic associations between roots and fungi that live among them, colonising the plant's roots - and through hormones released into the air. Through these communication lines neighbouring and distant trees are known to share nutrients, warn one another of predators or infections and who knows what more? The four trees on the piece are therefore linked through their branches and roots. Those other great communicators, birds, sit impassively in the trees, sharing their space and echoing the birds which bathe in the pool above. The whimsical lines of the trees belie the serious scientific message.

The Artist

David Williams is a teacher of science and photography, but his personal passion is sculpture in stone. Where possible he works in rescued stone from old buildings, discarded offcuts, flawed pieces and scavenged waste. His work reflects a love of nature and the outdoor environment. His practice in photography means that his stone pieces also often capture a 'decisive moment'. In many he aims to depict movement and interaction that defies the solidity of the medium. David runs day sculpture courses on summer Saturdays (at least he did pre-COVID) when small groups of adults can get together in a leafy spot in central Oxford (UK) to carve a piece of stone in a day. Connect on Instagram @David_Williams_Stonework, Twitter @just_me_dhw and on Facebook @david.williams.stonework.

Copyright statement. This work is published under the CC BY-NC-SA license