In a time of accelerating climate anxiety and ecological crisis, The Power of Trees invites us to pause, look closely and reconnect with the natural world – not through data or headlines, but through the patient and powerful lens of art. Opening this April at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, this major new exhibition at Kew Gardens explores the visual, emotional and spiritual resonance of trees, bringing together newly commissioned botanical illustrations and immersive video installations to uncover the secrets held within forests.
Trees have long been symbols of endurance, renewal. and deep time. As we face increasingly urgent conversations about biodiversity loss, deforestation and planetary health, The Power of Trees asks a quiet but potent question: how might we learn from the silent lives of trees? How can their forms – depicted in minute detail or on a cinematic scale – deepen our sense of connection, care, and belonging in the natural world?
Curated by Kew in collaboration with the Bedgebury Florilegium Society and Finnish artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila, the exhibition is a multifaceted exploration of trees as both ecological and cultural icons. At its heart is a celebration of artistic interpretation: from the exquisite botanical artworks that document Bedgebury’s world-leading conifer collection to Ahtila’s bold use of video to interrogate human perception and scale. A centrepiece of the exhibition is a world premiere: 20 newly commissioned artworks from the Bedgebury Florilegium Society, marking the centenary of the first tree plantings at Bedgebury National Pinetum. These works are more than decorative – they are acts of preservation, continuing a centuries-old tradition of recording the natural world through art. Each painting captures the unique form and structure of conifer species grown at Bedgebury, one of the world’s most important living collections.
Dan Luscombe, Curator of Forestry England’s Bedgebury Pinetum, underscores their value: “Bringing these incredible artworks by the Bedgebury Florilegium Society to Kew Gardens in 2025 is a wonderfully fitting way to celebrate the National Pinetum’s centenary … Their artwork is an invaluable asset in allowing us all to better understand and appreciate the plants and trees around us.”
The Society’s works are as scientifically precise as they are visually captivating. Drawn from living specimens across the seasons, they chart subtle shifts in growth and colour, allowing viewers to understand each tree not just as a form, but as a living organism with its own rhythms and history. Alongside the artworks, the exhibition features rarely seen archive materials – diaries, letters and historical photographs – documenting the collaboration between Kew and Bedgebury, and revealing the pioneering role of botanists like William Dallimore in shaping the landscape of British forestry.
In stark contrast, but no less poignant, is Eija-Liisa Ahtila’s Horizontal – Vaakasuora, a cinematic portrait of a 30-metre spruce from the boreal forests of Finland. Spanning six vertical projection screens, the work reimagines the traditional frame of cinema to accommodate the full scale of the tree, challenging viewers to rethink the limitations of human-centred media. Displayed alongside never-before-seen drawings from her Anthropomorphic Exercises in Film series, Ahtila’s contribution offers a philosophical counterpoint to the botanical works: not a record of the tree’s anatomy, but a meditation on its presence.
“The process of creating Horizontal – Vaakasuora was a truly inspirational one,” says Ahtila. “Connecting with this remarkable tree afforded me a magical opportunity to immerse myself in nature and to witness the existential challenges which the world around us is facing firsthand… I hope that visitors can find time to reflect on the resilience of the trees we so often overlook.”
Ahtila’s film is a moving tribute to the role trees play in our lives – whether as carbon sinks or cultural touchstones – and to their continued struggle for survival in the face of environmental stress. Her work complements the botanical illustrations by foregrounding the emotional and existential dimensions of our relationship with the forest, reinforcing the message that trees are more than ecological units; they are beings with stories, legacies, and futures entwined with our own.
Elsewhere in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery, Gallery Six showcases selections from the Sherwood Collection highlighting tree adaptations across ecosystems, from tropical rainforests to temperate woodlands. In the neighbouring Marianne North Gallery, Woodlands and Forests opens later in April, offering a scientific deep dive into the diversity of plant and fungal life that shapes these habitats, with specimens from Kew’s world-renowned Herbarium, Fungarium, and Economic Botany Collections. Maria Devaney, Galleries and Exhibition Leader at Kew, reflects on the curatorial vision: “Trees in all of their spectacular forms have long been a source of inspiration for artists… From the intricate skill of the Bedgebury Florilegium to the all-encompassing video installation of Eija-Liisa Ahtila, it’s clear that trees provoke a huge array of artistic responses, and I can’t think of a better place to celebrate their spectacular power than at Kew Gardens amongst our incredible 11,000-strong collection.”
In bringing together scientific accuracy, artistic expression, and environmental reflection, The Power of Trees is more than an exhibition – it’s a call to notice. To take in the fine grain of a painted pinecone, or the towering digital echo of a spruce, and consider what these trees are telling us – not just about their own survival, but ours. As we move through a pivotal decade for climate action and biodiversity protection, exhibitions like this remind us of the vital role that art and culture play in shifting perspective. They show us how beauty and observation can be tools for environmental awareness, empathy and change.
The Power of Trees offers a quiet but powerful moment of reflection amidst the noise. Whether you’re a lover of art, nature, or both, this show invites you to reconnect with the living world and see trees not only as subjects of admiration, but as fellow inhabitants of a shared, fragile planet.
The Power of Trees is at Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Kew Gardens, until 14 September.
kew.org
Words: Anna Müller
Image Credits:
1. Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Horizontal. © Koen de Waal / Crystal Eye. Courtesy of Marian Goodman Gallery New York, Paris, London.
