The Future We Leave Behind Now
The cemetery of clear-cut trees is in memory of our fast disappearing old growth forests, and draws attention to the abuse of our environment, and in turn, the harm committed to all living beings. The forest is a metaphor for community, and the voices of the trees are symbolized by individuals’ visions of the future—what they leave behind when they depart. These epitaphs on the tree stumps compose a section of the community poem. At first, the writing appears unreadable, but through the act of printing the cross-sections, which are stamps, the imprint of the messages becomes clear. We may witness the footprints we inherit, and the future we leave behind now.
—Manon Bogerd-Wada
When I met Manon it was on a roof, which naturally led to elevated conversations. Our subsequent nine month long collaboration helped perfect this new ecological cement and create her beautiful array of tree forms. The cement is formed from post-industrial waste, fashioned in this case into a clay-like body, pigmented with natural rock powders. The debut of this new cement is destined to shape more than just forms, but also form attitudes about what we leave behind as a society and how we can build, like nature, with what is available and abundant.
—Don McPherson, PhD,
President, Bay Glass Research, Inc.
Sacrifice the selfishness. Show the undersanding of appreciation, the warmth, and the respect of what it is like of being alive. Knowing life is too short but long enough to make a difference.—Felix Wang
We leave the trees, flowers, vegetables and herbs in the seeds that we have planted. To continue to grow in our absence. With the hopeful care of future generations.—Sharon Siskin
I can only leave a me with a you. Let us hope this sea of me’s, he’s, it’s she’s, and that’s, ends only in us.—Corey Lico Wolffs
If instead of tombstones we planted trees, our cementeries would be forests, we would respect the trees as we do our ancestors for afterall, the earth is the origin of our birth.—Manon Bogerd-Wada
A world filled with artists making a difference in the community who make the commitment to change society through integration of art and education, to integrity, hope, and the will to dream.—Sonia BasSheva Mañjon
