A Squirrel and a Sheep
Walking through installations in an alpine forest
Hello folks
We went walking at the Potatso National Park 普达措国家公园 in the northern part of Yunnan, China, over the new year. The name of this park is derived from Tibetan language, meaning literally “vast lake”. We learnt that the lakes carry spiritual meaning for the Tibetans, one of the ethnicities in the area. One of the interpretations of the name refers to lake that delivers all sentient beings to the other side of the sea of suffering.
A mountainous landscape where altitude goes up to 4,500 metres, unfortunately our tropical inclinations were just not meant for the high altitude and cold wind of this big winter. We both struggled a little with light altitude sickness and tiredness during uphill climbs, but thankfully our bodies acclimatized bit by bit.
Part of the trail around the Shuda Lake 属都海 circled off into a quieter path, leading us into the alpine forest marked by pathways made with wooden logs. With the surfaces of the wood frosted in the cold, we were asked to be careful while trailing through eco-art installations set up by dozens of artists from China. It is a big pity we did not take pictures of most of the artwork signages…
We were looking at the work “Sheep” by Salome, a skeleton of a sheep made out of deadwood found by the water, when a squirrel, perhaps asking for food since Liz was crunching on her fourth biscuit by that time, hopped on and cruised it like a rope bridge, creating a cascade of sounds with the suspended moving parts.
With the rustling pine leaves above us, a small chamber group played together for a brief few magical seconds, partially orchestrated by a disappointed squirrel who wanted some more savoury human snacks.
Our favourite works were the interactive installations that responded to other elements in the forest materially, through light, sound, colours, site-specific material, soil. A few caught on the idea of a spiderweb, catching falling cones, branches and leaves, a form of recording the metabolism of the forest.
Some of the artworks that left an impression were not intentional installations by artists; they were natural formations through the flow of energy and time.
Walking this trail started some reflections on about what “wild” means to us in our work through Wild Dot after five years.
While typically the word “wild” may be associated with uncultivated roots, reflecting our beginnings when we foraged more than growing our own plants, over time it became clear that to sustain some form of consistency in what we gather was still necessary. Renting a stable studio space has also influenced the form of relationships we hold with spaces and people, and the practicalities of making this into a small source of livelihood for ourselves and a few others have also decided for us, to some degree, the projects we prioritize.
What feels more aligned now is perhaps approaching the meaning of this word through another lens: a way seeking out more authentic belonging and interdependence with human or non-human, through creativity and curiosity. With all the imperfections, hopefully we can continue experiencing and learning what it feels like to be at ease and attuned into this web of life, amidst all the troubles we find ourselves in. The only way is through.
Ending off this post with the poem “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver:
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
In the new year, we wish you also the space to move life on your own terms.
Best,
Liz and Shirin