Orbis Spike & The Denim Tree
Material explorations of land, growth and transformation
Introduction
Orbis Spike and The Denim Tree explore the environmental and historical journeys embedded within everyday materials. Both works respond to theories of the Anthropocene and consider how natural resources, global trade and human activity have reshaped the planet.
Through sculptural experimentation with denim, the projects reflect on the histories carried within cotton and indigo, materials that have travelled across continents through systems of colonial trade, labour and industrial production.
By transforming denim into new forms, the works invite reflection on how materials connect human history with the more-than-human world.
Object Installation
Orbis Spike
Orbis Spike is a sculptural interpretation of the concept proposed by Simon Lewis and Mark Maslin (2015) in their work on the Anthropocene. Their theory suggests that human activity has produced a visible geological marker in the Earth’s timeline. A moment where environmental transformation caused by human systems becomes materially evident.
The sculpture replicates the idea of a “spike” within the Earth’s historical record. Constructed using denim, the object incorporates a split within its structure that symbolises both the spike itself and the rupture created by human intervention in the planet’s ecological systems.
By using denim, a material deeply tied to global industrial production — the work connects environmental change to the cultural and economic systems that shape modern life.
Material Installation
The Denim Tree
The Denim Tree continues this exploration through a sculptural tree made entirely from used denim garments. Each leaf was individually cut from discarded jeans, allowing the making process to become a moment of reflection on the material’s history.
Cotton and indigo carry long histories shaped by colonial trade, agricultural systems and global migration. Through the act of cutting and assembling each leaf, the work reflects on the journeys these materials have taken across landscapes, labour systems and cultural economies.
The tree becomes a symbolic structure through which these histories can be reconsidered. Rather than presenting denim purely as a fashion material, the work approaches it from a more-than-human perspective, acknowledging the relationships between plants, land, labour and industrial production that underpin the material’s existence.
Research Archive
This project was supported by written research exploring the environmental and historical contexts of cotton, indigo and denim production, as well as theoretical discussions surrounding the Anthropocene. Click here for the report!
