What) Abandoned and deconsecrated, the 19th-century Holy Cross Church spoke to Shinji Turner-Yamamoto. With this piece, the artist explores the spiritual in nature by using the church's nave stripped to the ribs of its vaulting. The 40-foot Hanging Garden installation features a living birch tree that is supported by a large, inverted, dead birch tree. The intertwined root systems of the two birches create a suspended garden that is oriented as a cross or tower at the center of the church.

    Turner-Yamamoto chose the derelict church as his site because he liked the marks of decay carved into the architecture by time and nature. Inspired by the Japanese idea of wabi-sabi, or ‘beauty in the imperfect,’ he feels “there is a beauty in how things crack.” The unexpected interior of Holy Cross is the perfect background for re-imagining the tree as a sculpture. “By taking tree out of its natural context,” he explains, “I invite viewers to experience nature in a novel, more contemplative way.” (1)

    Where) 30 Guido Street or try 1055 St. Paul Place

    Why) I saw a picture when I put this on the list and I thought that it would be a powerful place as well as a beautiful space.  I didn't know if it would still be there when we drove by or not.





















I don't know if we ended up in the wrong part of the city but the only church at that address was not abandoned but it did have this statue.







This is what we would have seen if we could have found the right church. (2)







It is certainly a strange juxtaposition. (2)








This 2008 work by Shinji is called "room of the moon and stars". (3)