Dezeen Magazine

Baitogogo by Henrique Oliveira at Palais de Tokyo

A twisted entanglement of tree branches appears to grow organically from the beams of Paris' Palais de Tokyo museum in this installation by Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira (+ slideshow).

Baitogogo by Henrique Oliveira
photograph by André Morin

Designed by Henrique Oliveira to look like an impossibly tangled Gordian Knot, the Baitogogo sculpture is installed within an exhibition space at Palais de Tokyo as a mass of tree-like plywood branches.

Baitogogo by Henrique Oliveira
photograph by André Morin

"Creating a spectacular and invasive Gordian Knot, Henrique Oliveira plays with Palais de Tokyo’s architecture, allowing a work that combines the vegetal and the organic," said the exhibition curators.

Baitogogo by Henrique Oliveira

An existing grid of columns and beams appears to morph into the twisted branches. "Through a form of architectural anthropomorphism, Henrique Oliveira reveals the structure of the building," added the curators.

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The large installation was created from reclaimed tapumes - a plywood material traditionally used in Brazilian towns to construct the hoardings around construction sites. Oliveria collects the discarded tapumes from the streets of São Paulo, where he both lives and works.

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The veneer-like strips were bent into shape and nailed together to form the installation's branches. Further wooden veneers were fixed to the structure to give it a bark-like texture and appearance.

Baitogogo by Henrique Oliveira

Here's a film showing the making of Baitagogo:

The Baitogogo exhibition is open at the Palais de Tokyo museum in Paris until 29th September 2013.

Baitogogo by Henrique Oliveira

Earlier this year we posted a slideshow of all our favourite stories about indoor forests and trees which includes a 30-metre-long poplar tree that protrudes a kiosk in Indianapolis and a beauty salon in Osaka that has birch trees wedged between the floor and ceiling.

Baitogogo by Henrique Oliveira

See more stories about trees »
See more installations »

Baitogogo by Henrique Oliveira

Photographs are courtesy of Henrique Oliveira.