When a huge tree stump washed up on the Tacoma waterfront I became fascinated with both the object and its environment. The stump is over five feet tall and, depending upon the light, the color ranges from golden to ash. The root structure and the trunk are a juxtaposition of crevices and smoothness. The landscape and seascape surrounding the stump provide their own narrative of change.
My video Stump Stasis documents the equilibrium of the stump and Commencement Bay over several years—how the stump and the environment change and do not change. This film creates a contemplative space for viewers to consider relationships between forms and landscapes.
Inspiration
Trees, pulp and paper have had a prominent role in the evolution of the Northwest’s identity, waterfronts, ecologies, industries and people. The imagery and materials of this region have inspired my art making for a decade. For this project, I also took inspiration from David Wilson’s film Stasis (1976) in which he focused on one environment, exploring stasis within a running stream.
Backstory
I began photographing the stump during my walks on the Tacoma waterfront along Rustin Way. At first I was interested in capturing images because the stump has such an interesting shape and I wanted to be able to remember the form when, inevitably, it washed back out into the bay. Then I found myself thinking that somehow, in some way, I could make a sculpture inspired by the stump and it became important for me to gather visual information. Eventually the stump became an obsession and I had to visit and photograph it every time I walked on the waterfront — depending on the weather, this can be up to four times a week. I came to realize that what I was looking at was the relationship of the stump to the environment and how this changed and did not change.
Just before open studios in 2013 I got an idea to put a video together to make visible forms that inspire me. I was amazed to find that my photos of the stump and its surroundings dated back to 2010. I created a short version of this video and showed it in my studio where many viewers found it interesting. So I improved the project by adding more photos (last one taken in June 2014) and creating a four minute and 43 second video. I also created a one minute preview and posted it to YouTube, which you can view above.
If you’d like to visit the stump in situ on the Tacoma waterfront, see the map below.
Articles about the video:
Holly Senn Stumps the Chumps with Tollbooth Video Installation
Tollbooth Gallery, Next Up: Stump Stasis
by Holly A. Senn
January 26, 2015 (earlier version published on July 2, 2014 at http://www.ryksenn.com/stump-stasis/)
- Art on and off the High Line - April 27, 2015
- Tacoma Waterfront “Stump Stasis” - January 15, 2015
