Among the Trees, Hayward Gallery

The Hayward Gallery re-opens to the public from 1 August. Advance booking is essential.

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Hayward Gallery's exhibition on trees is a celebration of all things arboreal, from the jungles of Japan to the olive groves of Israel. Organised to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, this group exhibition showcases a wide selection of works from an impressive cast of international artists

The first section of the exhibition takes a look at recent scientific revelations through an artistic lens. For example, it has been discovered that trees can communicate with each other underground, through a complex web of roots and fungi. In this part of the gallery you will find a six-metre high sculpture by Italian artist Giuseppe Penone and a 16-metre-long video piece by Finnish artist Eija-Liisa Ahtil, both designed to reflect the complexity and scale of trees.

Left: Yto Barrada. Terrain Vague - Tanger (Vacant Lot - Tangier), 2001. © Yto Barrada 2020. Courtesy the artist and Galerie Polaris, Paris. Right: Giuseppe Penone. Albero Porta - Cedro/Door Tree - Cedar, 2012 © Archivio Penone 2020. Courtesy the artist, Gagosian, Rome and Marian Goodman Gallery, London

The second section of this exhibition explores our relationship with trees, how we use them and how they adapt to the environments we impose on them. We are also reminded of their longevity, how they bear witness to the passing of time and the deeds of mankind. A photograph of a lynching tree, taking by Steve McQueen, makes this point with chilling clarity.

The lifespan of a tree can be remarkable. Photographer Rachel Sussman has documented some of the world's most ancient living plants, including a spruce in Sweden believed to be 9,500 years old.

This is a timely show, and reflects a general move by museums and galleries to explore environmental issues at this critical point in our planet's story. Click here to find more eco-exhibitions and events.