Heather & Ivan Morison. Chinese Arboretum

‘The tree that moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way.’ – William Blake

Heather & Ivan Morison travelled thousand of miles across the People’s Republic of China in the autumn of 2003. During the course of their journey Heather and Ivan asked the people they met along the way to point them towards their favourite trees and began to create a series of a hundred photographs of trees with an old, second-hand, Chinese medium format camera. The species, locations and stories associated with finding the trees were also recorded by the artists and the search for these elusive but beautiful specimens shaped the route of their trip. After originally being shown as a selection of images for a billboard project, Chinese Arboretum will be displayed as a large scale slide installation for Q Gallery.

Heather & Ivan Morison observe, collect and record the things they come into contact with, embracing chance encounters and seeking out subjects which are on the edge of daily life. Their work is at once a celebration and a reflection of simple pleasures and mirrors the passions, process and beauty of their subjects.

Heather & Ivan Morison
Chinese Arboretum