Thank You For Being Here

where does my body end

and yours begin?

(s)kin to (s)kin

ancient wisdom etched deep within

remember?

dancing as wind—

spirit extended

through each limb

Text, earth pigment, reclaimed wood

Installed in the Similkameen Valley

Made with the generous support of the Edmonton Arts Council

In the summer of 2024, I had the privilege of attending the Similkameen Artist Residency (SAR) in Keremeos, BC. During my stay, a tree that was cut down on the residency property. I reclaimed 9 pieces of wood from the tree, and then spent several weeks connecting with each cutting, touching their silvery skins and getting to know them through graphite rubbings. While the tree had been eaten by beetle larvae, I was greatly inspired by the organic lines and natural letterforms they created. I began decoding what I felt were messages from the beetles and developed a typography that integrated these lines and typographic forms. Drawing from my conversation with the spirit of this tree, I engraved the message into the wood. I then extracted earth pigments from the Princeton region nearby and made a natural oil paint which I then used as a stain sealant for the engravings. The linseed oil offers further protection for the wood, and is 100% biodegradable. Honoring my time at the residency and the spirit of the land, I wanted to extend the lifespan of this tree and give these pieces back to Mother Earth while offering future residents and visitors an opportunity to further connect and enter into conversation with Her.

Tell Me, Where Does It Hurt?

Quilted organic cotton, naturally dyed with rubia tinctorium and cordifolia

6.75 x 3.25 ft

Made with the generous support of the Edmonton Arts Council

Tell Me

by Zana Wensel

Hello dearest One.

I missed you, have you missed me?

Lean in close my love

Tell me, where does it hurt?

Darling, what can I give you?

What can I take? What do you need?

Let yourself be here now,

unburdened, and at peace.

Walk with me, in remembering,

you are not alone.

I am here for you.

Are you there for me?

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Made with the generous support of the Edmonton Arts Council

Thank You For Being Here is a series of land-art installations that work in reciprocal relationship with Mother Earth. Reflecting upon the increasingly disembodied relationship humans have with nature, this series invites audiences to (re-)connect to their bodies and the environment through a series of interactive, land-art meditations.

By using materials that come from Earth, and through exploring Earth as material, my aim is to work sustainably, and to honor and respond to the environment rather than causing further disruption to Her. As such, these installations reflect the interconnectedness of all life, as well as the cyclical nature of art-making, and the birth-death cycle.

Thank You For Being Here

We often forget that we Are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we've lost our connection to ourselves.”
—Andy Goldsworthy