Overview

The lyrical text is paired with evocative original artwork by Oka Doner inspired by (and at times incorporating elements of) a much-loved banyan tree in Miami Beach that has been a presence in her life since childhood. A book and work of art that defies classification, A Seed Takes Root is simultaneously an art book, a poetic meditation, a memoir, a fable, and a tale suitable for children and for readers of all ages. A Seed Takes Root describes a decades-long relationship between the author and a banyan tree that begins when the author is a young girl. For her, the tree is a place for play, for refuge, and also a source of inspiration. While this is a true story of one tree and one girl/woman/artist that celebrates a particular banyan tree, it is also a testament to the quiet power shared by all trees. Further, this beautifully told story is not only of the relationship between an artist and a tree, but is a strong environmental statement made more effective by being non-polemical. The banyan tree featured in the book is in the process of being designated a City of Miami Beach heritage tree. In 2021, Michele Oka Doner was officially proclaimed guardian of the ninety-five-year-old banyan tree by the City of Miami Beach. As the proclamation aptly stated, 'Oka Doner calls on all of us to be lovers of the environment, not its masters.'

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9798986640648

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Reviews

"""This is a special book for daydreamers. It tells a personal yet also universal tale--a story about growing up that has deep roots in the natural connection young people feel with the myriad life forms they find all around them. It is an artist's book' in the best sense of that term, with the touch of the artist who created it palpable everywhere in its pages."" --Leonard S. Marcus"

"""This is a special book for daydreamers. It tells a personal yet also universal tale--a story about growing up that has deep roots in the natural connection young people feel with the myriad life forms they find all around them. It is an artist's book' in the best sense of that term, with the touch of the artist who created it palpable everywhere in its pages."" --Leonard S. Marcus The work of Michele Oka Doner has always displayed an otherworldly connection and deep affection for nature... Her latest release... once again proves her unique ability to conjure something that can touch many people in a powerful way. An art book, a poem, a children's story, an environmental statement, and more, this delightful volume can be enjoyed in many aspects and by readers of all ages...conveying a materiality that leaps off the printed page.--Jacqueline Terrebonne ""Galerie Magazine"""

""This book will certainly plant loving seeds in young souls, who will want to have an intimate relationship with trees, just like the artist. The publication's carefully crafted splendor will make it a true treasure in their lives.""---Suzanne Ramljak, Chief Curator, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park ""This is a special book for daydreamers. It tells a personal yet also universal tale--a story about growing up that has deep roots in the natural connection young people feel with the myriad life forms they find all around them. It is an artist's book' in the best sense of that term, with the touch of the artist who created it palpable everywhere in its pages."" --Leonard S. Marcus The work of Michele Oka Doner has always displayed an otherworldly connection and deep affection for nature... Her latest release... once again proves her unique ability to conjure something that can touch many people in a powerful way. An art book, a poem, a children's story, an environmental statement, and more, this delightful volume can be enjoyed in many aspects and by readers of all ages...conveying a materiality that leaps off the printed page.--Jacqueline Terrebonne ""Galerie Magazine""

Author Information

Michele Oka Doner is an internationally renowned artist whose artistic production encompasses sculpture, prints, drawings, furniture, jewelry, public art, functional objects, video, costume and set design, and artist's books. She is well known for such permanent art installations as Flight at Reagan International Airport, Radiant Site at the Herald Square 34th Street Subway Station, and A Walk on the Beach, the mile-and-a-quarter-long bronze terrazzo concourse at Miami International Airport. Oka Doner's work is found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the art museums at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Michigan, where she received her BSD and MFA art degrees and was recently awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts.

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