Joana Vasconcelos Tree of Life

Towering overhead, branches extending heaven-wards, Joana Vasconcelos’s Tree of Life artwork was recently unveiled at the Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes in Paris.

For her design, the Portuguese artist drew inspiration from Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne (1622–1625), creating a fabric sculpture from fabric off-cuts in her studio.

Curated by Jean-François Chougnet in collaboration with the Centre des monuments nationaux, the 13-metre tall sculpture is made up of over 140,000 hand-made “leaves” that Vasconcelos and her team knitted, wove and crocheted during the COVID lockdown.

“It was a cathartic experience,” says Vasconcelos. “We were all creating together, experiencing joy and pain while trying to make sense of what was going on.”

The sculpture, part symbolic of female strength and Daphne’s wish to rather be turned into a tree than be taken by Apollo, has grown to also represent hope.

Placed in front of stained-glass windows depicting the Apocalypse, Tree of Life speaks towards the future and new opportunities to grow and bloom.

As Vasconcelos notes: “These windows depict the past and chaos we all had to go through. My work was made with the help of hundreds of people. It is a celebration of craftsmanship, resilience, and ultimately, the power of life itself.”