Wilderness

The 8-ton sculpture is one work in a series called Dendroids by artist Roxy Paine. Dendrology is the study of trees, and the term dendroid is used by biologists when describing plants that have branches that irregularly emanate from a central truck.

Roxy grew up in the suburbs of Virginia, where he developed what he described as a “twisted vision of nature.”  At age 15 he ran away from home to live with his brother in California. His brother was an avid hiker and rock climber and regularly traveled with Roxy to sites such as Yosemite National Park and Joshua Tree. These two very different experiences represented conflicting versions and understandings of the natural environment. When Roxy decided to become an artist this conflict became a powerful foundation for his work,

which highlights the tension between the organic, nature’s drive to reproduce, and the human desire for control or order.

This particular series of sculptures was produced after exhaustive research and observation of various species of trees. Roxy took this information and invented his own logic to produce fictional trees. He states, “I’ve processed the idea of a tree and created a system for its form. I take this organic majestic being and break it down into components and rules. The branches are translated into pipe and rod.” These tree-like structures don’t reproduce, they don’t change with the seasons, grow or return life- giving nutrients back to the ecosystem. These captivating sculptures embody humanity’s compelling urge to reconstitute the wilderness on our own terms.