Transformation - Chicago, IL - Outside Wooden Display Carvings on Waymarking.com

This beautiful sculpture is of a winged maiden who is covered in leaves and appears to be growing from the Earth. It is part of the Chicago Tree Project, which transforms dead trees in Chicago into art, rather than removing them. This one is located in Jackson Park in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. It is a bit out of the way but worth seeking out as it is very striking in person.

Carved by artist Gary Keenan, it was installed in the summer of 2020. Here is what the artist said about the work:

"Transformation is sculpted from a fifteen-and-a-half foot ash trunk that had been infested by the emerald ash borer. “She” was carved using several different sizes of chainsaws and fine-tuned with power tools such as angle grinders, die grinders, and a specialized belt sander. Inspiration for her came from a love and concern for the Earth. Transformation was created in early June 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, economic downturn, and racial unrest. Many commented that with all the “negatives” we were facing, she was rooted in the Earth, reaching, growing, and representing “positives.”"

Source here, also great pictures of the work in progress: (visit link)

Type of wood carving: Combination of carving tools Artist's Name: Gary Keenan Approximate size/height: 12' Type of wood: Ash Other type: Not listed

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