Irish Tree Alphabet
A project exploring language ecosystems
Exhibition at VISUAL Carlow, July 23 - October 18, 2020
Katie Holten has created a new Irish Tree Alphabet, drawing trees from a list of existing natives as well as non-natives that are now calling Ireland home due to the changing climate.
The work is rooted in the medieval Ogham alphabet which was used to write the early Irish language. The characters or letters were called feda "trees", or nin "forking branches" due to their shape.
Each letter of the Latin alphabet is given a corresponding tree: A = Ailm (Scots Pine), B = Beith (Birch), B = Coll (Hazel), etc. Holten’s tree drawings have been turned into a font called Irish Trees. The free font is available to download from the website: www.treealphabet.ie. Everyone everywhere is invited to write a love letter in Irish Trees.
The Ogham part of the font family is taking a little longer to construct and will be available soon, as will, hopefully, a seasonal font.
Essay in the Irish Times
Essay in Emergence Magazine
Essay for Extinction Rebellion’s WRITERS REBEL
Review in ARTFORUM
Review in the Sunday Times
Conversation with Kerri ní Dochartaigh for LITHUB
TRIAL VERSION: Explorer’s Guide to the Irish Tree Alphabet
Katie Holten’s talk at the Chilmark Library on Martha's Vineyard, September 3, 2020. Katie discusses her book ABOUT TREES and her recent work making new alphabets, including a New York City Tree Alphabet, a Forest Alphabet for a collaboration with poet Forrest Gander for Emergence Magazine, and a new Irish Tree Alphabet that's currently exhibited at VISUAL Carlow.
Irish Tree Alphabet, installation view, VISUAL Carlow, Ireland, July 23 - October 18, 2020. Photo Ros Kavanagh.
Irish Tree Alphabet, installation detail, VISUAL Carlow, Ireland, July 23 - October 18, 2020. Photo Ros Kavanagh
Irish Tree Alphabet, installation detail, VISUAL Carlow, Ireland, July 23 - October 18, 2020. Photo Ros Kavanagh
Irish Tree Alphabet, installation detail, VISUAL Carlow, Ireland, July 23 - October 18, 2020. Photo Ros Kavanagh
Download the Irish Tree Alphabet poster here
