#15 Once I Counted Birds

 

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Very pleased to have a video from Ireland’s leading figure on The Earth Charter, Dr Cathy Fitzgearld. I have known Cathy for many years , and I have taken a number of her courses with Haumea Ecoversity such at Eco Literacy for Creatives and Cultural  Professionals and most recently on  the Earth Charter .

Cathy made this video in 2009 . Originally from Aotearoa , New Zealand, she was part of  a biodiversity research trip to unpeopled  Suwarrow atoll in the  Cook Islands,  South Pacific. Cathy is currently based in County Carlow, Ireland where she and her husband Martin have since 2008 , been diversifying a small conifer plantation forest on their land to become a mixed species, more resilient, more bird-song-filled small continuous cover forest (Hollywoodforest.com).

Cathy’s words on Trees: 

Once I counted birds on a very remote unpeopled atoll in the South Pacific.  Only a few feet above sea-level this special place was crammed with life in every shape and colour in all our busyness it could be very easy to forget such places and their fate with rising seas.  Yet 10,000 miles away, it is funny how the wind in my forest sounds like the sea . It’s connected I think , each forest we tend , each small action we take.”

original score: Dan Berridge

I highly recommend the transformative learning offered by Dr Fitzgearld for art professionals , educators and business owners and policy makers on her platform Haumea Ecoversity

 

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Open Call for your tree story on video

Memory Palace of Trees is socio- ecological art practice which invites your participation to tell a story (or give some kind of information) about trees. It is a social enquiry of how to live better with the planet and with people by sharing tree stories.

Memory Palace of Trees will continue throughout 2022. The submissions are video format. If you have a story you can tell in less than a minute , please find your favorite tree and video yourself on your phone telling the story. I can help with adding the English or Chinese subtitles. Please ensure the sound quality of your recording is clear as possible . If you have any questions about this please ask . Also, If you are in Beijing I can meet up with you and assist in the filming .

Looking forward to hearing from you.I can be contacted directly on this platform.

 

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Video 1Empty Tendrils by Yvette Stride

Video 2Pomegranate Tree by Han Chao

Video 3Trees are Like Humans by Jenny Hong

Video 4Old Ash A real survivor by Gillian Cussen

Video 5Tree Rings of Life by Wang Ligeng

Video 6A very Weird Elf by Zhu Jinghua

Video 7Old Crabapple of Wenhua Dian by Matthew Hu

Video 8:   Standing Fast by Joseph Stewart 

Video 9:  Feeling Good  – Tree Song  by Nam

Video 10:  Forest Breath   Niamh Cunningham 

Video 11: Protective Peach – Ayse Emel Gümüs

Video 12: Bee Tree part 1 – Sycamore – by  Mick Verspuij

Video 13  Winter Apples  by  John Mac Kenna 

Video 14: Ancient Yew Trees  by Sonia Gibbons 

I am currently gathering tree stories in the format of one minute videos but in  January 2020 I collected stories in written format .

Most of these are personal stories.  Submissions came from a range of different people in the US, Europe, Australia and Asia including a children’s writer, poets, dendrologists, artists, a dancer, a forester, an ant forest app user, photographers, academics and more. 

See further down this page for these links. 

Gingko Palace  Sucrose Series 83 x 120 cm print on Aluminium  Niamh Cunningham 2020 (week 15)

 

The Second Beech  Niamh Cunningham 倪芙瑞莲2020 (week 17 of the Memory Palace of Trees)

Throughout 2020 different peoples tree stories were gathered from various people writers , artists, foresters , poets, and other people .

Ice Willow , Sucrose 8.7.2020 Print on Aluminium , Niamh Cunningham -Kosimas Willow Story 

Memory Palace of Tree Stories began in January 2020. Throughout 2020 different peoples tree stories were gathered from various people writers , artists, foresters , poets, and other people .

Chestnut – Park Tree Sucrose Series original Sucrose 50 x 50 cm  Niamh Cunningham 2020 (week 12)

 

Open Call for your tree story on video 

Memory Palace of Trees will continue in 2022. This year the submissions will be in video format. If you have a story you can tell in less than a minute (less than 60 seconds), please  find your favorite tree sit under it and video yourself  on your phone telling the story. I can help with the editing and add the English or Chinese subtitles.  Please ensure the sound quality of your recording is clear.  If you are in Beijing I can come and video you if you wish. Please ask if you have any questions about this. 

Looking forward to hearing from you.  Please email me at niamh@niamhcunningham.com

 

 

Jinan Tree Song  Sucrose Series, print on aluminium 158 x 120cm  Niamh Cunningham 2020

 

Here is a one minute video clip  for the November  2020 tree story . 

Ladybird of DongXiaokou (6 min 40 secs) video Niamh Cunningham 2020   Dancer: Zhang Yi , Music Credit: Ciorras