ASH, OAK, ELM

Willem Boshoff

A trilogy of three separate artworks, collaged in wood, that form a philosophical unit.

Sidenote: The artist, also known as Big Druid, is passionate about trees. In this artwork he brings homage to three sacred trees through their timbers. The name ‘druid’ means 'man of trees'. The old Greek myth has it that tree species are supposed to be married to dryads. They are special tree- or forest nymphs, looking after and protecting their trees. In fact, the word nymph means 'bride' in Greek. The dryads and the druids derive their names from the Greek drys, a word that in its original form denotes 'oak tree' and more generally 'tree'.

The artist owes much of his skill and love for wood to his father, Marthinus Christoffel (Martiens) Boshoff (1923-1985) a trained carpenter.

There are three letters in the name of each tree: A S H, E L M and O A K

Exhibition of the three artworks is in alphabetical order: A, E, O.

The three works are made in deference to Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) who had great respect for trees and whose ultimate artistic vocabulary was reduced to simple geometric elements.

Measurements of all three works framed: 925 mm (height) X 1850 mm (length). Frame width: 22 mm.

The oldest tribute to Ash Elm and Oak

Ulmus vero et fraxinus maximos habent umores minimumque aeris et ignis, terreni temperate mixtione comparatae. Sunt in operibus cum fabricantur lentae et ab pondere umoris non habent rigorem et celeriter pandant. simul autem vetustate sunt aridae factae aut in agro proiecto qui inest eis liquore stantes emoiuntur, fiunt duriores et in commissuris et coagmentationibus ab lentitudine firmas recipiunt catenationes.

Contra vero quercus terrenis principiorum satietatibus abundans parumque habens umoris et aeris et ignis, cum in terrenis operibus obruitur, infinitam habet aeternitatem. Ex eo cum tangitur umore, non habens foraminum raritates propter spissitatem non potest in corpus recipere liquorem, sed fugiens ab umore resistit et torquetur et efficit, in quibus est operibus, ea rimosa.

The elm tree and the ash contain much water and but little air and fire, with a moderate portion of earth. They are therefore pliant, and being so full of water, and from want of stiffness, soon bend under a superincumbent weight. When, however, from proper keeping after being felled, or from being well dried while standing to discharge their natural moisture, they become much harder, and in framings are, from their pliability, capable of forming sound work.

Oak, on the other hand, having enough and to spare of the earthy among its elements, and containing but little moisture, air, and fire, lasts for an unlimited period when buried in underground structures. It follows that when exposed to moisture, as its texture is not loose and porous, it cannot take in liquid on account of its compactness, but, withdrawing from the moisture, it resists it and warps, thus making cracks in the structures in which it is used.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio — The Ten Books of Architecture: Book II, Chapter IX, Sections VIII & XI. (Written c. 30 - 15 BC )

ASH OAK ELM

1. ASH (Fraxinus exelsior)

Work commenced 2017, completed 2018

The three letters in the centre of the work, A, S, and H consist of thin, laminated strips of plywood lined up in the shape of the letters.

A play on the word 'ash': ash as a tree and timber; ash as the result of burning wood and ash or ashes as the remains of a human body after cremation or burning - "ashes to ashes."

In the Greek myth, the ash tree nymphs or Meliae were created by blood that fell on the earth when the Titan Cronus castrated his father Uranus.

Small wood offcuts, mainly of ash wood, were salvaged from the band saw. On these are the black burn marks associated with the idea of ash. The burn marks resemble small, repetitive lines hatched in black ink. They were accidentally made by the friction of a blunt band saw blade on the annual rings of ash wood.

A great number of the slightly burnt wooden offcuts were arranged in a somewhat chequered pattern of squares (Mondrian) around the large wooden letters of the word 'ash'.

All wood in the artwork ASH is treated against borer and other diseases.

The work has a frame of ash wood.
3. ELM (Ulmus procera)

Work commenced 2017, completed 2021.

The three letters in the centre of the work, E, L, and M consist of thin, laminated strips of plywood lined up in the shape of the letters. A number of bands, also of plywood, are inlaid in criss-cross manner across the letters - a 'band-aid' device signifying the indisposed elm family.

In Greek mythology Ptelea, nymph of the elm tree, is one of the eight hamadryads, special nymphs of the forest. The hamadryad is a nymph who lives in a tree and dies when the tree dies.

The English elm, also called the European elm, consists of trees that may grow to thirty metres and can live for more than 100 years. These majestic trees once dominated the English landscape, but since almost all large elm trees have been destroyed by Dutch elm disease. The main body of the elm tree above ground is devastated by a microfungus dispersed by bark beetles. The underground root system of the elm survives, but the tree is unable to produce a main trunk and branches.

For the artwork a number of old, rotten branches that have been attacked by beetles and fungi were collected in 2017. These branches are mostly of the Ulmaceae or elm family. They were cut up into small slices that expose the diseased marks. Attention was given to the graphic marks left by spalting. Spalting is the meandering black lines in the wood and is caused by fungi, a sorrowful reminder of the fungal disease that left Europe's elm trees in ruins. Ironically the twisting and turning of fungal striations seen in spalting are often preferred elements in sought-after woodwork, especially in the turning of bowl-like objects.

The prepared slices of fungal infected wood were closely aranged to appear as if they are raining down. The background comprises a field of small Zebrano (Microberlinia bisulcata) blocks, with the wood's characteristic dark lines vertically arranged.

The work has a frame of blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon). Elm wood is no longer obtainable.

All wood in the artwork ELM is treated against borer and other diseases.
2. OAK (Quercus robur)

Work commenced 2020, completed 2021.

The three letters in the centre of the work, O, A, and K consist of thin, laminated strips of plywood lined up in the shape of the letters. A number of rectangles, filled-in with many, small end-on specks of plywood drift about on the surface of the letters. Oak wood has stippled microscopic granules interwoven in its grain.

The Greek word drys means both 'oak' and 'dryad', words initially applied to those nymphs who were spirits of oak trees.

This part of the 'three tree' project commemorates a tragic stroke of lightning and the romance and charm of old wood discoloured by ageing wine. The first source of the wood comes from one of the oldest oak trees in Gauteng province, planted by the settlers in the Krugersdorp district before nearby Johannesburg was founded. One giant old tree was struck down by lightning at NIROX Sculpture Park in 2013.

The second source of wood is an old wine barrel. The barrel was discarded when it could no longer hold wine. It was then cut in half to form two planters for the garden. When these fell apart their decaying wood was harvested.

A spectrum of many irregular oak blocks, displaying hues and tones ranging from newly harvested wood to those of very old, well seasoned wood were stuck down randomly on the surface of the work. If one looks carefully, one might observe some wine stains and marks left by old metal hoops.

The work has a frame of oak wood obtained from the old tree struck by lightning.

All wood in the artwork OAK is treated against borer and other diseases.

WILLEM BOSHOFF

ASH OAK ELM

1. ASH

3. ELM

2.OAK

PHOTO CREDITS