‘Sunshine on the Fallen Tree' - telling the story of ash dieback at Tyntesfield

Tyntesfield, located just outside of Bristol, is now hosting Pif-Paf’s ‘Sunshine on the Fallen Tree’. The exhibition is an immersive sound and light sculpture, made from Ash trees felled due to Ash Dieback, traditionally steam bent and set with re-usable innovative technology.

Visitors can walk through its branches and be seated in the canopy, bathing in its flickering light as a sound composition, created by Eleanor Hooper and Kate Griffin, takes you through ‘movements of a requiem and sonic memories of the tree.'

Installed in the Sawmill, the 12-minute experience invites its audience to reflect on the decline of the Ash Tree and the energy and optimism we need to fill the spaces as we lose species to climate change.

Image: Sunshine on the Fallen Tree, credit Jay Williams

Megan Collier, Tyntesfield’s Programming and Partnerships Manager, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting ‘Sunshine on the Fallen Tree’ at Tyntesfield. The immersive light and sound sculpture offers visitors an exciting chance to experience a contemporary art installation in a heritage setting, as well as bringing Tyntesfield’s connection to nature to life in a new and creative way. 

“We hope the artwork brings both new and returning visitors to Tyntesfield to immerse themselves in the sound and light while exploring the story of the ash tree.”

The exhibition, which opened on Saturday 25 May, has already been a hit with those first to visit it at Tyntesfield, with visitors describing the experience as ‘emotional’, ‘magical’, ‘evocative’, and ‘moving’. It also offers an opportunity to reflect upon the impact of a disease that is devastating historic trees and woodlands in the UK.

Pif-Paf said: “Sunshine on the Fallen Tree is Pif-Paf’s response to Ash Dieback - a homage to and requiem for the Ash Tree and our long-intertwined relationship with it as friend, habitat and material.

“It is made of traditionally steam bent staves of Ash sourced from trees felled due to Ash Dieback - a fungus that is killing many Ash Trees, that have been set with controllable lights and form a distributed screen for a beautiful light design.”

Image: Sunshine on the Fallen Tree, credit Jay Williams

Ash Dieback is caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus which originated in Asia and spread to Europe via the global plant trade. With its windborne spores the fungus spreads quickly, causing the crown of the tree to die back, often resulting in the death of the tree.

Lisa Topham, Gardens and Outdoors Manager at Tyntesfield, said ”In the region, Ash Dieback reduction is very difficult, so a management plan forms the bulk of our fight against the disease. We conduct annual tree safety inspections, but also do an additional inspection for Ash Dieback when the trees are in leaf. Although this work is difficult, it presents our team with an exciting challenge as we begin to think about which trees we will plant in the local landscape to replace those that have been lost, so that the natural beauty of our region thrives for decades to come.”

You can find Sunshine on the Fallen Tree in Tyntesfield’s Sawmill daily between 10:30am and 3:30pm until 1 July 2024. Entry to the exhibition is free but normal admission charges apply for the venue. Further information can be found on their website.