Seedling (cedar)

location-based augmented reality sculpture with sound, Lafarge Lake, Coquitlam, 2021

Seedling is a location-based augmented reality (AR) sculpture reconstructed from a micro-CT scan of a germinating tree, and enlarged to a fully-grown tree scale. Seedling (cedar) is modelled after a western red cedar, the tree unique and important in the Pacific Northwest. 

Seedling (cedar) (2021) is developed as a location-based AR sculpture placed on the surface of Lafarge Lake, adjacent to the Evergreen Cultural Centre. The sculpture is accessed through smart devices, allowing audiences to experience this site-specific artwork during the park walk.  

Western redcedar, Thuja plicata, is unique to the Pacific Northwest and is found primarily in coastal areas. The tree is an important and sacred resource for local Indigenous Peoples. Once abundant in the region, the trees are now declining due to prolonged drought and logging. At Lafarge Lake,—a man-made lake that was once a quarry—Seedling (cedar) addresses the relationship between nature and culture.

Seedling (cedar) is presented by the Art Gallery at Evergreen and generously supported by the BC Arts Council and the Province of British Columbia. 

Curated by Katherine Dennis, coordinated by Kate Henderson. AR development by Hammer&Tong. 3D scan co-researching and image rendering by Grégoire Dupond. Sound design by Schokobaum. Micro-CT scan by Centre for High-Throughput Phenogenomics, University of British Columbia. 

in-app shots © Hyung-Min Yoon

Photo: Colin Griffiths