2024 Issue 2 Mar/Apr Focus - Mid-South Magazine

Rather than
adapting nature
to our cities, we
should probably try
adapting our cities
to nature!
"The reality is none of our forests or landscapes are free
from ending up like deserts. We must become aware and
work to preserve trees globally and locally," he says. Blue
Trees grew from the Denver area of Colorado to all over
the country, leading us to the exhibit along our Wolf River.
"A lot of people ask me why Memphis, Germantown? It's
a beautiful city, first of all. But, it's the people we met who
made the difference," says Dimopolous.
People like Cat Peña, a Public Art & Design Manager in
Memphis, who took a big risk to bring this work to our city.
"Initially," Dimopolous admits, "we began the installation
as a guerrilla work. But it has morphed and organically
changed into an installation that brought inclusion with
communities, with cities."
Dimopolous isn't alone in bringing art to nature, however.
Local art company Belleau+Churchill worked alongside
him to bring their project Tree Tones to fruition. They, just
like their contemporary, try to bring the hiker's attention to
parts of our local environment.
"For us, nature is an inspiration but also a refuge.
Nature gives us opportunities to slow down, reset, and
refresh. Walking is important to us. We talk a lot on walks.
Sometimes, it's ideas. Sometimes, it's about what we're
observing. Being in nature helps us practice mindful
looking and listening."
For their project, certain trees are set to specific tones
inherent to those species themselves: Bald Cypress,
Hackberry, Hickory, PawPaw, Sweetgum, and Water Oak.
But, they aren't just interested in bringing us to nature, but
also nature to us. When I asked if they had any suggestions
for how the city can adapt to nature, Belleau + Churchill
suggested: "Rather than adapting nature to our cities, we
should probably try adapting our cities to nature!"
"Nature is everywhere," say Belleau + Churchill.
"One thing that immediately stood out to us when
we first moved to Memphis is the number of trees in
neighborhoods and the size of those trees. There's a
direct correlation between the number of trees in a
neighborhood and health outcomes for residents, with
more trees equating to better health. Things like pollinator
gardens or even replacing lawn grass with clover or native
ground cover bring birds, butterflies, and bees and even
reduce excessive lawn care. Even just mulching your leaves
will invite nature back into the city. Leaving leaves on the
ground over winter provides habitat for fireflies."
One thing these Memphis Queer Hikes, Konstantin
Dimopoulos, and Belleau + Churchill can definitely agree
on is that nature is necessary to our lives, whether it's
through health, appreciation, art, or even our mental well
being.
I'll leave you with this quote from Robert Lydon provided
by Dimopoulos: "We need all art as we need all nature;
there is a balance in both."
And indeed, that is on display with the Blue Trees and
Tree Tones installations, standing proudly at the blessed
banks of our Wolf River.
Belleau + Churchill’s installation, Tree Tones
14 Nerd | Mar+Apr 2024 | focuslgbt.com