About the Work
Every Tree in Town is a series that documents every spruce tree in the old mill town of Willimantic, Connecticut. The series of 1017 photographs was created as Matthew Jensen systematically walked the 89 miles of streets within the city limits and documented some 2187 trees. The trees in the series are cultural artifacts from the town's industrial past and the Victorian-era immigrant population who came from Northern Europe, where the trees are native. Today, Willimantic's population is a third of what it was in its heyday, and the pervasive trees remain as the last living link to the past. The series was featured on the front of the Hartford Courant and was curated by the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art for an exhibition in Ridgefield, Connecticut.
About the Artist
Matthew Jensen says that the phrase "conceptual landscape art" best describes his work. Landscape photography and rigorously built collections are a big component of his artistic process. Jensen's landscapes often develop into metaphors with recurring iconography, such as spruce trees, landscaped boulders, the sun, clouds, and blue skies. Spending a great deal of time in the landscape—walking and exploring—is essential to his process and often yields voluminous collections. Every Tree in Town, featured here, is a good example as the final series comprises 1,017 photographs.
Jensen's work The 49 States was recently acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Using Google "Street View," Jensen captured what he calls "expansive and beautiful nowheres" that, despite their separation from the hustle and flow of people and cities, are still touched by technology.
Artspace Edition
Description
Set of three color photographs made with archival pigments on fine art rag paper with matte finish.Authentication
Includes a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist.Dimensions
Set of 3 photographs, each measuring 10" x 14" with a border to allow for framing.Shipping
Unframed works ship in 7–10 business days.Framed works ship in 10–14 business days.