(2014) 360 DEGREES

360o is a work at the conjunction of art, design, science and DIY technology. The natural entity as cultural object in this work is a 127-year old Ash tree slice, whose tree was planted in 1886 and cut in 2013 due to a new road construction near the Rote Kaserne in Potsdam, Germany.

The intention for 360o is two-fold; first, to create cultural narratives corresponding to the most significant tree ring occurrences of this tree. By using the scientific method of dendrochronology, I have measured and analyzed the 127 tree rings at the Deutsches Archaeologisches Institut in order to create a narrative interface with 10 audio tracks describing correlating significant events in German society, particularly of the Potsdam-Berlin area. Secondly, is the sonification of the data stemming from the 1/100mm scientific measurement of the 127 seasonal/yearly growth rings of the tree slice.