MNN - Mother Nature Network

It's easy to forget how old some of NYC's trees are, but artist Kristin Jones has done her research (with help from photographer of trees Benjamin Swett and the parks commissioner) and wants to bring attention to them — aesthically, of course. Some of the oldest are more than 300 years old, like the 330-year-old Hangman's elm in Washington Square Park.  

 

Her plans for the installation, called "Behold," would include lights, film, poetry and music over a 24-hour period. “Imagine how beautiful she would be all lit up,” Jones told the New York Times, referring to one of the elms, when a reporter met her in the park. According to the NYTimes, "Ms. Jones wants New Yorkers not only to appreciate the ancient giants in their midst but also to pitch in and help conserve them. In that respect, 'Behold' is an artistic intervention."

 

This is not the artist's first eco-conscious exhibit; she has also stenciled she-wolves along the walls that run along the Tiber River in Rome, and for "Fluent" hung 190 stainless steel sculptures into and above the water as part of the reopening of the historic 1907 Hoboken Train Station. 

 

The tree-focused New York City exhibit would aim to highlight the five most beautiful and historic trees in each of the five boroughs, as part of the 2013 Arbor Day (April 23) celebrations.