Portraits of Olea Europaea (Olive Trees)
These olive trees were planted in Puglia, Italy around 2,000 to 3,000 years ago, by the Greek and Roman empires and have been tended to by civilization ever since. The olive trees need to be pruned every three years to keep them healthy and productive. Currently, in Puglia and other parts of Europe, they are in danger of extinction by an aggressive bacterial disease, Xylella fastidiosa or Olive Quick Decline Syndrome. It is believed that the disease came from Costa Rica on a coffee plant in 2008 and is spread by insects.
Description: The “Olea Europaea Portrait Series” are printed on Fine Art paper with archival ink and range in size from 22” x 27” to 42” x 33” with some being 52” tall. These visceral ghost images capture the spirit and history of these trees and bring awareness to and convey the urgency of finding a cure for this infection.
