The Litten Trees are eight gifts to local communities around the UK:Â temporary light sculptures in everyday public settings that have been carefully chosen to be seen by those communities as they enjoy their daily exercise or go about their daily business.
Renowned lighting designers who in normal times would be working in our theatres have been brought together by arts producer Fuel to invite people to look again at the landscapes they pass each day, to see the resilience and tenacity that has been so necessary in this last year reflected in nature’s determination to keep going in the hope of a brighter tomorrow.
The lighting designers have each chosen trees somewhere close to where they have lived in lockdown and to which they feel an affinity. The resulting designs that illuminate those trees will be a public celebration of tenacity, resilience and optimism.
The Litten Trees take many forms: from pines shaped by the Atlantic winds in Cornwall through hazel groves in the Welsh valleys and a dance of oaks in Glasgow to a sleepy willow on Humberside. They are found in parks and in woodland walks, but also in housing estates and beside our playgrounds.
The trees will be seen in their new colours on the last three days before the official end of winter: on the evenings of March 25th, 26th and 27th. They will also be the stars of a short film by filmmaker Hugo Glendinning, also entitled The Litten Trees, to be released in May.
The designers selected are part of the freelance arts community which has arguably had one of the toughest journeys through the Coronavirus pandemic. With little, or no support from Government and no work since last March, freelancers have been some of the hardest hit. This project aims to offer a small number of them the chance to work and create small symbols of hope at the end of a very long year.
Each installation will be carried out in accordance with strict Covid protocols amended to reflect any local specifics. All equipment used will conform to appropriate standards for electrical safety in outdoor settings and be installed by trained professionals. The project aims to be environmentally conscious about power, transport and consumption of resources.
