This week commuters and visitors arriving into Leeds City Centre have been greeted by an extraordinary sight.
A remarkable sculptural ‘Forest’ has taken root in the main public square outside Leeds Railway Station. Comprising 127 seven-metre-high timber fins, this quietly powerful temporary installation entitled ‘Making A Stand’, aims to ‘disrupt’ the popular pedestrian route by creating an awe-inspiring artwork using commercially grown timber ‘borrowed’ from the construction supply chain, which can be repurposed when the work is dismantled at the end of the year. Amidst the ongoing discourse surrounding climate protests and their impact on everyday lives, ‘Making A Stand’ is a thought-provoking artistic intervention that invites people to pause, explore and contemplate major environmental issues in a visually striking and provocative manner.
The installation is co-created by acclaimed visual artist Michael Pinsky and award-winning environmental architects Studio Bark (both known for creating work that challenges the status quo on climate change and urban design). It is one of 12 signature projects commissioned as part of LEEDS 2023’s transformational Year of Culture, and is inspired by the city’s origins as a forested area called Leodis over a thousand years ago, which gave rise to the name ‘Leeds’.
The co-creators of ‘Making A Stand’ aim to draw attention to the urgent need for the built environment industry to replace carbon-intensive materials like concrete and steel with more sustainable alternatives, such as timber. The project aims to ignite a conversation surrounding material life cycles and to demonstrate that large-scale, temporary art can also be created in a sustainable way.
The timber fins, which have been ‘borrowed’ from the supply chain at a point between felling and stacking, are positioned vertically making them quite literally ‘stand up’ like a ‘stand’ of trees in nature. The fins work together with a webbed canopy of steel wire ropes and steel struts, acting in tension and compression to ensure minimal damage to the wood so that it can be repurposed at the end of the year, minimizing waste while maximising opportunities for carbon capture and storage.
Acclaimed visual Artist Michael Pinsky said:
“It’s crucial to differentiate between forests grown as crops for synchronised harvesting and forests left undisturbed to mature. Both types of forests play a vital role in carbon capture and contribute to a sustainable planet. For ‘Making A Stand’ our emphasis lies with commercially grown wood suitable for construction.
“For the last century or more, wood has been overlooked as a building material despite medieval structures adorned with wooden beams dating back hundreds of years. We want to draw attention to the potential of timber as a low carbon construction material and encourage conversations surrounding material life cycles.
“Making A Stand serves as a reminder of the climate crisis and that we have been able to live symbiotically with nature for centuries – this city is even named after the ancient forest upon which it is built. We can do this again, as long as we channel our astonishing technical ingenuity towards an ecologically focused future.”
The project uses timber felled from sustainable forests in the UK where wood is grown for use in construction. Sliced into ‘fins’ by Whitney Sawmills in Herefordshire, the final stages of fabrication took place at Stage One, a specialist fabricator based near York.
Wilf Meynell, director at Studio Bark added:
“The Douglas Fir Trees used in the construction of ‘Making A Stand’ have been meticulously chosen from sustainable forests within the UK. This selection was essential as it addresses the issue of the UK’s heavy reliance on imported timber for construction.
“Our objective in sourcing the wood in this country is to ‘lock up’ as much embodied carbon as possible, aligning with our commitment to create a sustainable temporary installation. Each Douglas Fir fin can even be traced back to the precise stump in the forest using a unique code, which will enable us to track the journey of its lifecycle for many years to come.”
‘Making A Stand’ will remain in situ in City Square until the end of 2023, hosting a series of inspiring activities and events from yoga and dance to poetry and music. The activation programme kicks off with a free ‘Wellness Wednesdays’ sessions in June, July and August with Yoga, Mindful Movement and Meditation classes that are open to all abilities, run in association with Mill Hill Chapel. From September, Leeds Beckett University’s Leeds School of Arts will curate and deliver performances and events as a key element of the ‘Making a Stand’ programme.
Kully Thiarai, creative director and CEO of LEEDS 2023 said:
“Making A Stand’ represents a profound creative statement and one we hope will be an awe-inspiring intervention for the thousands of passersby who cross the square daily. We are inviting everyone to come explore and consider the power of art in addressing pressing environmental concerns. Michael Pinsky and Studio Bark have created something incredibly ambitious with this beautiful yet poignant installation which will offer a place for quiet contemplation and conversation as well as a stunning backdrop to celebrate creativity throughout the year.”
Leeds City Council is committed to making the city carbon neutral by 2030 and a key aim of LEEDS 2023 is to use its cultural programme to raise awareness of environmental issues and solutions.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council said:
“We’re proud and excited that one of the city’s most recognisable spaces is the setting for such a striking and thought-provoking artwork. What makes this beautiful project particularly special is that is brings together our ambitions for Leeds to be both a world class cultural destination and a city that’s doing all it can to make the world a cleaner, greener and better place. I’m sure the tens of thousands of people who will see ‘Making a Stand’ will be impressed and inspired by the artistic ingenuity behind LEEDS 2023 and by what this stunning creation says about the city we want Leeds to be.”
Leeds City Square is currently undergoing a major programme of works as part of Leeds City Council’s plans to remove general through-traffic away from the area. The majority of works immediately surrounding City Square have completed in time for the ‘Making A Stand’ launch – with some highways improvements continuing in front of the Queens Hotel until August – as the focus shifts towards the next phase of the Leeds Station Sustainable Travel Gateway scheme.
The New Street Station entrance is now closed to through-traffic as work begins around the station entrance to create a much improved and more people-friendly environment. Rail passengers will still be able to use the station’s northern entrance to access Leeds City Square. ‘Making A Stand’ is supported by Leeds City Council, Arts Council England, Channel 4 and Leeds Beckett University, a principal education partner for LEEDS 2023.
Dr Mark Flisher, Head of Subject for Music, Sound, and Performing Arts at Leeds Beckett University’s Leeds School of Arts said:
“Our students and academics are proud to play a key role in Making a Stand with LEEDS 2023 and activate the installation with exciting performances for all to see. This is an incredible opportunity for our students, staff, and alumni to showcase their contributions to arts and culture in Leeds and beyond. It will offer them a chance to perform in a prominent city-centre location, and celebrate the talent, innovation, and energy at Leeds School of Arts.”
The installation will be accessible by wheelchair. An audio description which explains what the artwork looks like and what people can experience as they move around it will also be available to download from the LEEDS 2023 website. Visit www.leeds2023.co.uk for further information.
