Arboreal Reminiscences
The humble tree has been around for centuries before human life and represents the ultimate in biodiversity, sacrifice, regeneration and verdant abundance.
Arboreal Reminiscences is a project born of a shared love of the strength and plurality of trees. In creating their own image of a tree individually and then working collaboratively via video conferencing software (Zoom) to entwine the images and sound, Sachkouskaya and West explore and represent the multiplicity of memories created in the sophisticated calcium based signalling network present in trees’ cells which create memories. Over their lifetime billions of memories are created and stored, forming an incessant bank of frantic activity, with memories chaotically jostling against each other, disorientating and recreating themselves. The film was created using Final Cut
Pro with the narration combined of original content created by Sachkouskaya and West or sourced by the pair as representing themes that were core to the project.
Project by
Sara West
Sara West is a Master’s student at Roehampton University, London, working towards an MA in London’s Theatre and Performance. She obtained a BA (Hons) in English Literature from Queen Mary College, University of London and also has an MBA from the University of Edinburgh Management School & the ENPC School of International Management, Paris. Having spent a significant period of time working in the Financial Services Industry in the City of London in senior operational & project management roles, she has been delighted to return to her true love which is theatre; spectating, contributing to, and interacting with, all the fields of expertise that culminate in performance. Sara’s research project for her final thesis will examine the breadth of London’s theatrical offering in detail, and consider the effects of the current pandemic on the spectator and the new writing that arises. Her journey at Roehampton has been significantly enhanced by the diverse student and teaching body that has widened and enhanced her work and she very much hopes to continue with her academic research following this degree.
MA London's Theatre and Performance
Year of Study: 1
Kristina Sachkouskaya
Having spent her childhood in Belarus, Kristina Sachkouskaya moved to the UK in 2016 to study Acting & Performance at Edinburgh College before moving to Roehampton where she achieved a first class degree in Drama Studies and is now completing her MA in London’s Theatre and Performance. Kristina has a particular fascination with the notion of a human being’s singularity and its expression through art. She is currently completing her Major Project which explores the borders and edges of the singular “I” unwrapping in the centre of the “we” space, culminating in a creative exchange between the trusting and the trusted in a durational performance. Kris hopes to continue her artistic journey by engaging in social work through creative production of all kinds – film, theatre, visual and live art – as a creator, maker and performer.
MA London's Theatre and Performance
Year of Study: 1
Core Programme
MA London's Theatre and Performance
