How do trees shape our lives? At The Whitworth Art Gallery, the Performing Trees exhibition explores this question through painting, sculpture, textiles and wallpaper from the collection, showing how artists have used trees to tell human stories.

Pinc College students from across campuses were invited by The Whitworth to respond to the exhibition – with selected works of theirs shown as a pop-up showcase at the gallery on the 18 June.

The students’ responses came in a range of media, from photography to sculpture, offering personal interpretations of the theme. They explored ideas ranging from self-expression, networks and connections, represented through branching forms and growth, to the sensory experience of nature.

Displayed in Gallery 3, the pop-up added new perspectives and showed how trees continue to shape the way we live, remember, and understand the world around us. It was a really valuable opportunity for students to exhibit work in a major gallery and experience their work in a professional setting!