As the brainchild of painter Scarlett Raven and digital artist Marc Marot, The Danger Tree is a poignant exploration of the hidden tales of the Great War. Fusing traditional oil painting and augmented reality technology, this new collection – exhibited at the prestigious Titanic Belfast in Northern Ireland – celebrates the bravery of the soldiers who fought and fell for our freedom.
TITANIC BELFAST
SCARLETT RAVEN | MARC MAROT
The Royal British Legion presents The Danger Tree by Scarlett Raven and Marc Marot.
100 YEARS OF LIBERTY
In 1916, the Irish soldier Tom Kettle penned a farewell poem to his three-year- old daughter. ‘You’ll ask why I abandoned you…my darling rosebud,’ he wrote from the trenches at the Battle of the Somme. Five days later, with the ink barely dry on his paper, he fell in one of the bloodiest battles of World War One. His story – and those of other brave soldiers – is captured in The Danger Tree. As the brainchild of painter Scarlett Raven and digital artist Marc Marot, this groundbreaking collection is a poignant exploration of the hidden tales of the Great War. Fusing traditional oil painting and augmented reality technology, The Danger Tree takes viewers on a visual journey that includes animation, film, music and poetry. After captivating audiences at exhibitions across the UK, the project has moved to the prestigious Titanic Belfast in Northern
Ireland. Here, the duo hope to honour the 210,000 Irishmen who served in the British forces during battle. Co-creator Marc says: “We are completely thrilled to be taking The Danger Tree to Titanic Belfast. The men and women of the city and Northern Ireland sacrificed so much in the Great War, and we hope that our exhibition will commemorate their sacrifice in some small way.” Behind the multi-layered pieces are stories from soldiers around the world. Narrated by actors like Sean Bean and Christopher Ecclestone, these insights into life in the trenches reveal a passion for uncovering the truth. Featuring the writings of Irishman Thomas Michael Kettle, American poet Alan Seeger and English poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, The Danger Tree explores
themes of loss, honour and peace. In turn, it offers what The New European newspaper has previously termed ‘…a moving, unforgettable exhibition’. Also included is a piece inspired by RMS Titanic, which was built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. An emblem of industry and hope, its tragic sinking mirrors the loss of sailors during battle. Titanic Belfast’s impressive setting proved the perfect opportunity to bring its story to life, as Marc explains: “The incredible juxtaposition of history and technology is completely in sync with our own creative sensibilities.” Later this year, we will celebrate the centenary of the end of World War One. In a period that has been fraught with political tension and violence, the occasion serves as a timely reminder that peace can be found during even the most difficult conflict. Creator Scarlett says: “This exhibition of The Danger Tree is particularly poignant as we mark 100 years since the end of battle, and I want to give the centenary due recognition.
I’m inviting people to view painting in a completely different way and I hope they will engage with the art beyond the canvas.” Viewers familiar with the history of the war will note that the collection takes its title from the only tree left standing during fighting. Rooted in No Man’s Land on the Western Front and the Somme battlefield, it is a symbol of bravery and resilience. Long after the leaves fell from its branches, it blooms with the stories of the men who fought beneath it, who amidst the gunfire penned the truth to their ‘darling rosebud’. We are proud to announce a new collection of hand-signed, limited edition prints for 2018. ‘The Rendezvous’ and ‘Man and Shadow Meet’ are available as either a giclée or hand-embellished boxed canvas, while ‘All the Years Ahead’ is available exclusively as a paper only giclée print.
THE STORY SO FAR…
On 1st July 2016, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme, The Danger Tree opened in Greenwich. With the help of the award- winning film set designer Kave Quinn, a 2,500 sq. ft. unit was transformed into a blown-out building from the French/ Belgian borders of 1916. As the sound of heavy artillery fire blasted in the distance, viewers stepped through the rubble and barbed wire of the shattered shopfront and were transported 100 years back in time to a war-ravaged Flanders village. Hanging silently on the walls were 10 paintings, each beautifully lit and inviting the audience to enter beneath the canvas through the augmented reality world created by Scarlett Raven and Marc Marot. Concealing a dazzling array of animation, film and poetry – narrated by actors such
as Stephen Graham and Vicky McClure – the artworks uncovered the stories of those who fought for our freedom. After a critically and commercially successful exhibition, The Danger Tree was showcased at Liverpool’s Martin Luther King Jnr Building and Manchester Central Library to mark the end of the Battle of the Somme and World War One respectively. To date, The Danger Tree has touched the hearts and minds of thousands of people. Transcending age, race and background, the provocative exhibition speaks to everyone. A selection of the 4,000-strong messages of appreciation and remembrance from the visitors’ books can be seen on the back pages of this brochure.
LIMITED EDITION TITANIC BELFAST ARTWORKS
MAN AND SHADOWMEET Artists’ Notes “This is an ‘Irish’ painting, covering the fighting units of Belfast and those across the border. The poem was written by the Irishman Thomas Michael Kettle and dated ‘In the field, before Guillemont, Somme, Sept. 4, 1916’ – just five days before his death. “The first half is narrated as if read to a child… soft, warm and loving, before swiftly changing to bitter, cold and angry in the second half when the ‘mad guns’ curse overhead.” Poem used: ‘To My Daughter Betty, the Gift of God’ by Thomas Michael Kettle. It is narrated by the Northern Irish singer-songwriter Ciaran Gribbin, formerly of the band INX. The music was composed by Belfast composer Michael Keeney. About the poet: Thomas Michael Kettle (1880-1916) was an Irish economist, barrister, journalist, writer, politician and poet. An ardent supporter of liberty and democracy, he served in the trenches of the Western Front under the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. His daughter Elisabeth (Betty) was just three years old.
Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Pictured:
Man And Shadow Meet Limited Edition Giclée Of 195 | Framed Size 22” x 23” | Framed £250 Limited Edition Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Of 50 | Framed Size 44” x 44” | Framed £1950 Original Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
Framed Giclée On Paper Pictured:
All The Years Ahead Limited Edition Giclée Of 1912 | Framed Size 22” x 23” | Framed £250 Original Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
ALL THE YEARS AHEAD Artists’ Notes “This marks a departure from the timeline of The Danger Tree as we explore the RMS Titanic and its tragic sinking. The edition size is 1912 to reflect the year the ship was launched. “The poem asks the question, ‘who shall honour our sailor-dead?’ Whilst it is fundamentally a poem about those who have died in battle, it also serves as a metaphor for those lost at sea – whether in uniform or not. “Those left behind must have suffered enormous anguish at not being able to lay flowers, or kneel in prayer next to a grave.” Poem used: ‘Years Ahead’ by Guy N. Pocock. It is narrated by the Cold Feet actress Karen David. The score was composed by Marc Canham. About the poet: Guy N. Pocock (1880-1955) was a music master at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth and also worked for the BBC. He was a published poet, essayist and author.
THE RENDEZVOUS Artists’ Notes “This was reportedly President John F. Kennedy’s favourite American poem. We do not believe it is a uniquely American story, however, as it captures the thoughts and actions of many other unsung heroes. “The author (the American poet Alan Seeger) was so moved by the cause of the war and the defence of liberty that he joined the French Foreign Legion rather than await the USA’s conscription. “He wrote this beautiful poem weeks before he walked into his own death, as so eloquently predicted in the stanzas of his text. He really seemed to know that death was inevitable, which makes him incredibly brave in our eyes.” Poem used: ‘I Have a Rendezvous with Death’ by Alan Seeger. The score was composed by Marc Canham. It is narrated by the Canadian actor and trombone player, Ashley Slater – who released the number one single ‘Turn On, Tune In, Cop Out’ with Marc’s former record label Island Records in 1993. Marc comments: “I always remember how much I loved his mellifluous speaking voice.” About the poet: Alan Seeger (1888-1916) was an American poet who fought and died in World War One during the Battle of the Somme. Sometimes known as the ‘American Rupert Brooke’, he was a classmate of T.S. Eliot at Harvard and was honoured posthumously with a statue in the Place des États-Unis in Paris on a monument for fallen Americans who volunteered for France during the war.
Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Pictured:
The Rendezvous Limited Edition Giclée Of 195 | Framed Size 22” x 23” | Framed £250 Limited Edition Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Of 50 | Framed Size 44” x 44” | Framed £1950 Original Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
ORIGINAL ARTWORKS
Futility Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
Finished With The War: A Soldier’s Declaration Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 48” x 48”
Under A Green Sea Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
Arms &The Boy Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
A Man Of Dust Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
Propaganda Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
The Verdicts Oil On Canvas | Framed Size 44” x 44”
THE ORIGINAL DANGER TREE
Standing on an empty strip of land in the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial in Somme, France, is a petrified dead tree. Behind its wizened trunk lies the story that inspired The Danger Tree. As the last tree to survive battle on this stretch of No Man’s Land, the Danger Tree was rooted approximately halfway between the British and German frontlines. When the 800 men of the Newfoundland Regiment were ordered over the top at 7.30am on July 1st, 1916, it was used as a marker for men to pass through the wire and make an assault on the German line.
30 minutes later only 67 men had survived the onslaught. The bodies of the fallen lay uncollected in the summer heat until November 18th that year.
The repercussions for Newfoundland – at that time a British colony – were enormous. By the end of the war, the country had lost so many of its young men that it was unable to repopulate its industries and entered bankruptcy before becoming a province of Canada. After struggling to articulate the devastating loss caused by World War One, Scarlett and Marc felt that this story was a worthy title for the exhibition. Not only did it encapsulate the grief and violence of battle, but it also symbolised the intrinsic message of The Danger Tree : our soldiers’ stories will never be forgotten.
Aware of the impending attack, the Germans trained their machine guns on the location, and by the time the retreat was called
SCARLETT RAVEN & MARC MAROT THE ARTISTS CHANGING THE WAY YOU VIEW ART
SCARLETT RAVEN A graduate of the prestigious Central Saint Martins School of Art, Scarlett’s fans include Orlando Bloom, Lord Jonathan Marland, Duffy and Take That (all of whom own original pieces). Passionate about colour, her dynamic approach often sees her use her hands rather than a brush to apply oil paint. Her sweeping arm gestures create movement and direction, with the artist being likened to Anselm Kiefer and Jackson Pollock. Scarlett says: “The paint is thrown on, splattered and flicked. When it lands, it captures the flowers blowing in the wind. The movement must be in every layer, so when you step back you feel like the landscape is alive. It creates a whole world of magic.”
MARC MAROT Marc has enjoyed a successful career as a record executive, including an 18-year stint as the president of Island Records. This saw him work with many of the UK’s most successful recording artists, including Pulp, The Cranberries and U2. In 2014, Scarlett approached Marc to be her manager. Inspired by the potential of technology, he suggested using the augmented reality programme Blippar for her paintings and the pair formed the creative banner Maven Art. With Scarlett painting the artworks and Marc creating the digital animation, the duo conceived The Danger Tree. Marc says: “We don’t hold an exhibition. We hold a visual experience.”
AUGMENTED REALITY: HERE’S HOW IT WORKS
Branding themselves ‘The Augmentists’, Scarlett Raven and Marc Marot are acknowledged to be amongst the world’s first augmented reality fine artists. Deconstructing the process of painting, their work appears conventional on the surface but hides an alternative dimension. The duo pit past against present, reframing history and classic painting techniques through the increasingly magical lens of 21st century technology. Marc explains: “Our work is highly emotionally-charged, and its power lies in allowing our audience to immerse themselves in very powerful feelings. The application of augmented reality facilitates the introduction of powerful multimedia. We add poetry, stories, letters, diary entries, music and photography to the beautiful stop-motion
animations created by Scarlett. It takes the audience out of the here and now.”
To unlock the multiple layers in Scarlett’s work, download the free Blippar or Artivive app through the iOS app store or Google Play Store for Android, then simply scan the art. By digitally stripping away the countless layers of paint, you’ll reveal the creative journey beneath and see the Great War reimagined. Try it for yourself!
Annie Ruddy - Liverpool, UK
Jihang Shi - Beijing, China
Jo Hanna - London, UK
Paul & Maria - Surrey, UK
The images contained within this literature are an artistic representation of the collection. To best experience our art, we recommend you contact your local gallery to arrange a viewing. ©Washington Green 2018. The content of this brochure is subject to copyright and no part can be reproduced without prior permission. washingtongreen.co.uk Price £5.00
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