An upcoming art installation in Toronto aims to spark city-wide engagement around greenery and draw attention to the way that trees impact physical and mental health in urban settings.
Designed by architects from the Netherlands, the Moving Forest is a mobile project featuring 50 red, silver, sugar and Autumn Blaze maple trees planted in shopping carts travelling through the city for eight weeks, highlighting the importance of trees and shade. From May 23 through mid-July, the trees will be stopping in locations including The Bentway, Downsview Airport, The Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre, and the Harbourfront Centre.
“The project reminds us that as our cities continue to warm and densify, we must ensure that we are prioritizing green infrastructure along with grey,” the project website reads.
The project also features a lineup of pop-up readings and performances dubbed the Canopy Connection Series. On June 18 and 25, and July 2, enjoy a presentation from Fort York library staff at The Bentway Studio Terrace featuring family-friendly stories curated to encourage guests to think about the importance of trees and shade. Then on June 20 and 27 and July 4, at the Studio Terrace, guests can enjoy a performance by students from music school The Taylor Academy under the shade of the Moving Forest.
“[Trees] help cool the environment, protect against flooding, capture carbon, and provide essential shade,” a release for the project reads.
The description of the Moving Forest explains that trees are often also a barometer of equity in cities.
“Too often, new communities are built with insufficient space for planting and without the necessary resources to ensure that trees can mature and thrive,” the description explains.
The Moving Forest comes at a time when city officials have set a goal of increasing Toronto’s tree canopy by 40 per cent in the next 25 years, but the artists behind the project say it is important that the distribution of newly planted trees is distributed throughout all corners of Toronto.
“[Moving Forest] calls attention to the critical physical and mental health role that urban trees play,” the website reads.
At the end of the project, the trees will find permanent homes across the GTA, extending their legacy of shade and shelter.
The installation is part of The Bentway’s Sun/Shade exhibition running this summer. Running from May 23 to October 5, the exhibit explores Toronto’s changing relationship with sun and shade through a dynamic group of projects from various artists, designers and researchers.
