the vow or the meaning of respect

Tree, we are about to fell you,

but I promise this will not be the end of your life.


I vow that you will live on as a creation of extraordinary beauty

for people to treasure for generations to come”.

I vow that none of you will go to waste

‘I promise - I really really promise’

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In Japan, Alaskan Yellow Cedar wood is used to build temples. The tree is chosen with great care by monks in Alaska. Before the tree is cut down, one of the monks pronounced the vow that nothing of the tree will get lost. The Vow-project consists of a number of objects and works on paper that I made from the last remnants of the tree. By using the tree to its last splinter, I keep the promise of the monks intact.