Through its branches and roots, a tree manifests the small conquest of space that its life implies. It reaches for the sky and populates the void; it anchors itself to the earth and extends its domain. These images attempt to capture the effort of the roots as the vital organ of trees: reaching out in all directions, they make their way under and over the earth in order to stabilize the plant and allow it to draw water. The living tree is the one whose roots continue to spread through space.
A root, where no leaves or buds are present, evokes life in a unique way: it speaks of the infinitesimal movement of the plant towards securing life. By presenting them in a dark atmosphere where they are removed from the context of their trees, these images attempt to suggest this dramatic and silent movement that we often think of happening only underground. These roots emerge from the darkness of the earth and mark their movement through space, which is nothing less than their survival.
Series of 7 digital photographs.
Part of this series was published in Écart, the first editorial project of the Diaph 8 Collective.
[2018]