Project TreeEast
By Wooden Bicycle on a Tree Trail Planting a Chain of Tree Circles
Dr. Anke Scharrahs and Shahin Tivay Sadatolhosseini
TreeEast is a multi-layered art and film project centred on the theme of ‘trees and wood’. From 2027, we are travelling eastwards from Germany for several months on wooden bicycles along historic long-distance trade routes, including the Silk Roads, to plant tree circles along the way. As part of our TreeEast art project, we are looking for people to donate the cost of the tree saplings, and we are seeking individuals or organisations willing to have the donated trees planted on their public or private land. For every tree island comprising between 1 and 1001 trees, we also aim to find tree guardians who will look after the saplings during their first few years of life, guiding them through this initial phase. Throughout our project, a growing network of tree donors, tree owners and tree carers is emerging, all of whom will be visible and connected via our website.
Through our multifaceted project, we aim to bring the issues of climate change, ecology and sustainability further into the spotlight and build bridges between people and regions. In doing so, it is important to us not only to plant trees, but also to sow ideas and develop proactive networks.
Travelling with us on a trailer is a gym wheel, which has been a central element of Shahin’s artistic work for decades, framing his motifs and, on this journey, crafted from wood.
Anke will be working on an artistic project in which the magical creatures from the famous Aleppo Room (Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin, Pergamon Museum) travel back to their roots.
We will be filming this journey and art project using professional camera equipment. The result will be a 4K cinema-quality travel film featuring unique vehicles, protagonists and encounters.