The Battle of the Trees
This project is a material-led response to The Battle of the Trees (Cad Goddeu) from The Book of Taliesin. The poem tells a tale of a war, fought by the magician Gywdion, who animates the trees to aid him in battle. It details each tree that joins the battle, describing their attributes and characteristics. Through this project I aimed to form a contemporary interpretation, illustrating the poem over a series of linocuts, printed in a book made up from paperstocks that reflect the characteristics of the species I was depicting. The use of linocut emphasises the poems ancient, incantatory tone, aligning with traditions of handcraft and ritual. I also hand-lettered and bound the book to give it a personal quality, as if an almanac or catalogue created from witnessing the battle.
