Covid-19 key workers honoured with City of Trees portrait installation in city centre
- Portraits of 33 key workers from across Greater Manchester projected onto trees throughout the city centre
- Initiaitive set up by charity City of Trees and projection artists Illuminos
- Charity pledges to plant three million trees to pay thanks to key workers duing covid-19 crisis
Thirty-three key workers from across Greater Manchester have been honoured after their portraits were projected onto trees in Manchester city centre.
It was part of a project by the charity City of Trees and projection artists Illuminos. The charity created a tree trail in the city centre, with 33 notable trees in prominent spaces such as Manchester Cathedral and Stephenson Square, as well as green spaces across the city.
Portraits of 33 individual key workers were projected onto each tree as part of an initiative called Sentinels.
Rob Vale, an artist with Illuminos, said: “Sentinels is our response to the coronavirus outbreak, and a way of using our artistic practice to celebrate those people who must continue to work – steadfast and unwavering, through this crisis.
“The growth of these urban trees – the green against the grey – remind us of the life force of the many key workers that carry us through these difficut times.
“By forming each tree via video projection into living portraits, their actions can be celebrated – sentinals stood proud in the city.”
The key workers projected onto the trees were nominated by members of the community via a social media campaign.
Projections were live streamed on three days last week.
A big shout out to #Bury #binman Paul Lindsay, whose face was projected in #Manchester city centre last night as part of a City of Trees initiative to highlight key workers who have kept services going throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thanks Paul ✊@BuryCouncil #COVID19 ♻️ pic.twitter.com/JvandVahiP— Donna (@ballydonna) June 17, 2020