Ash Tree Die-back Project - AOIFE BAMBURY

AOIFE BAMBURY

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I'm currently developing a body of work that includes bronze sculptures, drawings, and digital prints based on responding to the physical changes to ash trees caused by die-back and imagines future hybrid forms of the ash.

Process and Exploration: The sculptural works are created by taking direct casts from ash twigs, branches, and bark. I capture the intricate textures of life, decay, and transformation caused by the dieback, combining these natural forms with my own handmade, organic wax shapes. These unique hybrid pieces are then cast in bronze, transforming the ephemeral into something permanent. Alongside the sculptures, I'm creating a series of drawings, photographs, and digital prints. I'm taking photos of both affected and resistant ash trees, which serve as a source for these works. The drawings and photographs also inform my sculptural forms, allowing me to merge the current reality of the ash trees with imagined futures.

I'm delighted to have been selected for an arts residency at Cill Rialaig Arts Centre, through Kerry County Council, which will be instrumental in the further development of this project. The residency will provide a focused environment to expand upon these ideas and develop this project.