Home » News » Chartres: “In the skin of a tree”

Chartres: “In the skin of a tree”

From October 1 to November 28, 2021 is held at L’Apostrophe in Chartres, the exhibition “In the skin of a tree”, by the teacher-researcher in plant biology Catherine Lenne. Through a series of photos, she invites us to discover more closely these living beings that fascinate us.

By Lou Gasparini

With her research laboratory, PIAF, Catherine Lenne demonstrates the intelligence and sensitivity of trees. The World Tree by Richard Powers, gave the general public access to this incredible information: trees communicate with each other. These beings that we knew already alive, would then have a much more complex life than what their wise and apparent immobility suggests. At a time when the animal question is taking root more than ever in the public debate, what about plants? Could it be our relationship to living things as a whole that we should change? The philosopher and scientific advisor for the exhibition We the Trees held at the Cartier Foundation from July 12, 2019 to January 5, 2020 Emanuele Coccia writes in the AOC article “ The trees tell us »  : « Until we recognize the tree as a legal personality, everything will be useless. »

Botanical blindness

In 1998, James Wandersee and Elizabeth Schussler highlighted the concept of ” plant blindness “, Where “ botanical blindness ” in French. It is the fact of not seeing the plants that surround us, of not recognizing in them what binds us: life. Like a painting, almost like a still life, they do “ part of the landscape », But we do not see them in their individuality and we do not see in them the richness of life that they contain. And yet, as we learn in elementary school, trees are essential to our survival. They store CO2 and produce oxygen through photosynthesis, their transpiration, shade, and the wind in their leaves keep us cool. What makes us proud as primates, our opposable thumb, is the result of our evolution in contact with trees. Our veins are ramifications. Our vocabulary for talking about our family is a plant metaphor: a tree genealogical, our roots, a branch family etc.

Indian ecofeminist activist Vandana Shiva, speaking again about her experience with the Chipko movement, said that she felt at one with the forest, that these trees that one wanted to cut down were a part of her. Perhaps this is the link that we should find. It seems that is what botanists seek to tell us: maybe if we knew trees better, if we recognized them as our equals, we would see them and put more heart into saving them.

See as well :
The World Tree de Richard Powers : https://www.lizzie.audio/content/7eee6742-02da-48d1-ae1f-c27c22fe3ee3
In the skin of a tree: secrets and mysteries of the giants around you de Catherine Lenne: https://www.belin-editeur.com/dans-la-peau-dun-arbre
The work of Catherine Lenne and the PIAF: https://www6.clermont.inrae.fr/piaf/Pages-personnelles/Catherine-Lenne

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.