When local artist, David Bacharach, and documentary filmmaker, Jeff Bieber approached Irvine Nature Center in Spring 2023 with an idea of creating an art installation using invasive species and other recycled items, we were cautiously curious. Their goal: to weave together a story about the plight of nature at the hands of humans, building structures using invasive species and other found items from our property, while documenting the process to raise awareness about the rapidly growing impact on our environment. Naturally, we were all for it.
The artist planned to employ a traditional European agricultural practice of piling organic materials to increase the surface area of arable land while also conditioning the soil with compost. These mounds, known as hugel mounds, would take different shapes to reflect human impact on air, water, and land.
This project has exceeded our expectations from the educational value to the environmental benefits, plus the opportunity to include a variety of community members. Over the past eight months, David Bacharach has spent over 950 hours at Irvine, collaborating with staff, leading groups of volunteers from around the community, and engaging students from our Earth Friends Homeschool.
Now, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome the public to explore this extraordinary new experience – WEAVING NATURE – in-person and as a documentary, debuting Earth Day 2024. Plan a visit to Irvine and walk through David’s interpretation of the air, water, and land, in a one-of-a-kind nature exhibit. In the coming months, we will post additional information about opportunities to meet the artist and view the documentary.
