“If a Tree Falls, And No One’s There to Hear It, Did It Make a Sound?”

First, the forest.

We forget, and how easily we forget, that by itself, it is a living thing and a system where we have become interlopers. It is a hum that we cannot hear, a backdrop we have been so removed from, so far and faint that even if we strained to hear it at the deep dark of night, by the glow of our bluelit phones, it would not hum for us.

I hear my prayers better in the forest. I find my most human form in the forests. I sit by the forest’s feet and will myself to belong. To be part of a space where I have no edges. I am in the dirt, the insects, the sweat, the hugeness,the tallness of trees, the absolute sign to stop at the suggestion of rainfall, the deep deep dark.

We learn to tell time by light in the forest. Something that I forget as soon as I’m in the city.

Next, the sound.

Culled from the experience of recording the raw sound of forests in Mountain Province, Miguel Puyat explores the idea of sound as an active, ever moving phenomena that we move through, unaware even as it envelopes us, goes through us, is in us. The exhibition encourages contemplation and active listening, emphasizing the importance of being present and attuned to surroundings.

It serves as a simulated “outside” experience that prompts reflection on how viewers define and perceive reality, inviting them to consider sound as a response to this question.

To recreate the ambiance of being outdoors, Puyat employs visual references such as tents and camouflage, symbolizing the experience of camping and being in nature. Textiles like curtains and yarn serve as mediums, allowing the artist to control the flow of natural light and ambiance within the space. A recorder and headphones amplify environmental sounds, enriching the immersive experience under the “tent” structure.

Additional sculptural elements like sprouting grass cardboard cutouts on cloth and nests crafted from white thread and egg-shaped paper, reflect themes of fragility, preservation, and the double-edged internet-speak of “touching grass.” A little reminder that this simulation already exists and is available to us. Always has been.

Highly recommended: Go outside and touch some grass.

Who hears the sound a tree makes in the forest?

What is the sound of no one hearing?

If things happen even if we cannot observe them, are they still real?

If perception shapes reality, what are we missing as we go through the world?

-Hannah Puyat