bearing withness

An experimental sound artwork—both a performance and conversation—talking with an elder piñon pine about loss, grief, and futurity amid tremendous change.

The tree is connected to a biodata synthesizer which “reads” the electrochemical activity within the tree and translates this data into audible sounds.

This interview with a piñon is part of The Piñon Project—an intentionally slow-growing, multi-year exploration of the ecological and cultural resonance of piñon pine (Pinus edulis).

We invite readers to contribute their accounts of deeply listening to piñons to The Piñon Project to weave diverse voices into the narrative preservation of this keystone species. To contribute, please fill out this form and tell us a little more about your experience sitting with a piñon.

This project is supported by the Fulcrum Fund, a grant program of 516 ARTS made possible by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Frederick Hammersley Fund for the Arts at the Albuquerque Community Foundation.