Making a Stand

Making a Stand is an installation featuring 127 vertical wooden fins prominently displayed in Leeds City Square. Each fin showcases a unique texture, with one edge retaining its natural bark while the other displays a clean, geometric cut. Arranged in a strict grid, the wooden structure disrupts the square’s regular layout, creating a striking contrast against the existing sculptures, trees, and street furniture, as if it has landed from outer space.

Within this artificial forest, spaces are carved out for reflection, performance, and gathering, inviting community interaction. The installation uses wood sourced from the supply chain, taking rough planks and weathering them for a year to enhance their value. At the end of this period, each fin will find a new purpose, contributing to the creation of structures like summer houses, garden planters, or community halls, thus transforming the installation into a sustainable resource for the community.
Commissioned by Leed2023
A collaboration with Studio Bark.