Tea in the Forest – an interactive artwork

In October 2017 I collected some porcelain shards in the forest and placed them in a small circle next to a small pathway. As I found more shards, I added them and changed the circle.

In my mind I called this work: “Tea in the Forest”, because there was a snout of a teapot among the shards. This small work was destroyed by the wild pigs every now and then, but everytime I walked past, I would fix the circle again.

I kept this circle going for more than a year, when I noticed that somebody else also added some extra shards to the circle. I was delighted.

Soon after that I got bored of the circle and added a rectangle. Then sombody placed a smiley face into the circle.

I loved, that there was somebody out there, creatively interacting with my little collection of shards.

At some stage I found some blue and and pink shards and added them. Now the fun started for real…

I am not sure anymore which changes I made and which were made by others from then on. Eventually I met an elderly couple from down the street at the artwork and they told me they made some of the changes. They were worried that I would be upset, when in fact I could assure them how much fun it was to know that others added and changed it too. Later I found out that another neighbour also made changes every now and then.

So now, everytime I walk into the forest I am curious to see if there might be a new arrangement. And whenever I can and feel like it, I also create something new out of it.

Today I met my neighbour in the forest, and she showed me two shards, one with a beautiful pattern. She told me that she got it from the lady down the road with the task to add it to the latest image…

This interactive artwork brings me so much joy! Every time I go there and find something new, I am happy like a child. Knowing that this small, little creative interaction has inspired others to also become creative and keep it going and exciting. Just look at all the ideas that they and I have already come up with, during our walks into the forest.

Click on the images in the gallery below, to be taken on a tour through the individual changes. The last image is from the 29th of February 2020. I will keep on updating this page, as and when there are more changes. At the end you can see an overview and the dates of each change.

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