5 min
The Tree of Light, a work from the Unlock selection
The Tree of Light is an immersive sound experience inspired by sylvotherapy (forest bathing) that immerses us in the inspiring atmosphere of a yurt. It is an opportunity for participants to recharge their batteries through a rite of regeneration. The Tree of Light is part of the Unlock selection, with which the Institut français offers the French cultural network abroad and its partners a catalogue of works to discover on mobile devices. An installation version of the work is supported by IF Export.
It is produced by Onyo, a Paris-based studio, also a winner of the ICC Immersion programme.
Reconnecting with yourself
Founded by Yann Gareaux and Charlotte-Amélie Veaux, Onyo produces spatialised sound works that immerse the audience in dialogue with living things. Confronted with lifestyles that are increasingly exhausting our bodies and minds, the two partners decided to use a new format for Onyo that combines audio content, light installations and ecological fictions. Inspired by art therapy and sylvotherapy, they compose together fables that reconnect us to nature, and offer us moments of respite and reflection in the heart of enchanted natural spaces.
The myth of the Tree of Light
The Tree of Light brings to life a myth that goes back to ancient times. To a time when the spirit of the sun is said to have placed a piece of its heart in the hollow of a tree, giving it magical powers. This tree is said to have dispelled the darkness that enveloped the world, becoming a source of life. But this energy is not infinite: every hundred years, the animals and plants of the forest gather to give it back some of its energy, and help it start a new cycle. As the next ritual approaches, The Tree of Light invites the public to take their place among the spirits of the forest to take part.
An immersive installation
The Tree of Light's participants are seated in a circle in a yurt, in the middle of which a light sculpture is enthroned. Once they put on their headphones, they will discover a spatialised sound experience created using binaural technology. A sensory and psychic journey that Yann Gareaux and Charlotte-Amélie Veaux describe as a "pause for wonder", and can also be combined with workshops or online sessions. A true ecological fable inspired by the theories of authors such as Baptiste Morisot or Estelle Zhong Mengual, The Tree of Light thus combines relaxation and the questioning of issues specific to the Anthropocene.
An ecological fable
Awarded the prize for the best French export work at the NewImages Festival in 2022, The Tree of Light also benefited from the support of Studio Radio France during its creation. As part of the Novembre Numérique selection, this creation, which combines new technologies and a reflection on our relationship with nature, was also shown in Tunis and Toronto, and received the International Museum Show (SITEM) Award. With its universal message, it offers an experience accessible to all ages and a wide range of audiences.