WATCH: Its been two years since a cherished 100-year-old maple was cut down in Duncan but something else made of its wood now stands inside of the Island Savings. It’s the work of a local artist who is hoping to give the community something new to enjoy. Luisa Alvarez reports.
Two years ago many fought to save a beloved 100-year-old maple tree in front of the Island Savings Centre in Duncan.
People protested by putting themselves in front of it and even on top of it to stop it from being cut down. But despite their efforts, the tree was removed.
Now a local artist has brought it back and revived it in the form of art. Pieces of the maple tree were saved and artists were invited to submit proposals for some form of an art piece from the tree, and a selections committee chose David Martinello’s concept over other submissions.
Pieces of the tree were saved by the Island Savings Centre and after months of hard work and hundreds of hours Martinello revived it as ‘Interweave.’
He says the name came from the literal way that the sculpture was put together.
“The crown of the tree makes up the horizontals and the main trunk makes up the verticals, more to the point Interweave was made because of the way it tied the community together its going to weave experiences and memories together with the people that experience it and that’s the real spirit of Interweave and the spirit of the legacy tree,” said Martinello.
It stands inside the island Savings Centre lobby looking out at where it once stood.
“To bring it inside and to give it a permanent home inside the Island Savings Centre really ties the whole story together and its safe in here and can grow old in a different way inside the lobby,” said Martinello.
Martinello says he hopes the community can be drawn to his piece and feel those similar feelings of comfort now as they did when it was still standing which is why he made it to have a hollow shape similar to the legacy tree.
“There’s something magical about going inside the sculpture now you go inside and you can kind of feel it hold you and I knew that was kind of a real thing to try and honor,” said Martinello.
The piece was sanded down and treated so its smooth to the touch but all the details of the wood were left intact.
“One thing that people have done is to interact with it one of the first things they do is reach out and touch it and feel its surface,” said Martinello.
And will remain a landmark for the community as a special place and space to be.
Luisa Alvarez
