Forest Perception

‘Forest Perception — if a tree talks in the forest, does anyone listen?’ projection mapped a giant forest only for one night in the middle of downtown Los Angeles as a part of LUMINEX, an award-winning public art exhibition by NOW Art in April 2021.

To represent hope and support to the local community, ‘Forest Perception’ projected digitally rendered forest on two opposing ends of the building façade, one side looking up from below the roots network, and the other side looking down from the canopy, offering a unique perspective to absorb the beauty of the forest biosphere living together as one.

Urban residents stuck in the concrete jungle during pandemic lockdown were mesmerized by the 2-channel immersive audio-visual art work that transformed an ordinary parking lot into a world filled with life. Yamashita drew inspiration from the Sierra Forest of California, where diverse species of trees and wildlife thrive.

Yamashita’s grandfather devoted his life to creating forests — he sought a green peaceful future after seeing the burned empty fields from World War II. He emphasized the importance of protecting the roots, planting diverse species next to each other and choosing the native species. Recent studies discovered trees communicate through roots, sharing food and water with each other beyond species, including fungal networks called mycelium. Biodiversity is key for sustainable healthy forests that benefit us in countless ways.