MUSKOKAN - Strolling in the Tree Museum last fall, artist Johannes Zits came upon a magnificent spruce tree. He imagined himself nestled high up in the branches, shedding his clothes and wrapping the tree with them.
That vision will become reality this weekend, when Zits presents his work at the Tree Museum, Muskoka’s cutting-edge outdoor art gallery.
The museum is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and is presenting Zits’ work on Sunday at 2 p.m. as part of Ontario’s Culture Days celebration.
As Zits’ idea grew, he envisioned placing large bundles of clothing under the boughs, pulling clothes from the piles to cover the tree’s trunk. In his mind he saw that he would eventually adorn the entire inner canopy with an arrangement of clothing.
Zits says the work evokes the association between the nakedness of nature and a human being, as well as the ideas of conspicuous consumption in an age of recycling.
The action is meant to subtly reference the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. In the Biblical account, Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness after biting into the forbidden fruit.
The Tree Museum is located on Doe Lake Road, several kilometres east of Gravenhurst. Admission is free, but visitors are advised to wear comfortable shoes as a considerable amount of walking is required.