Probably the most ubiquitous form of art in history, statues have been adorning our streets, gardens and homes for centuries now. While we often tend to think of sculptures as inanimate objects, a lone gardening hobbyist in Israel has challenged this very assumption. Located in Revivim, a Kibbutz in the country’s southern region, is a cluster of oddly-shaped trees, including the aptly nicknamed Pretzel Tree, whose twisted trunk has recently become an internet sensation.
By: Omri Westmark
Date: 12:00 10.08.24
Last Update: 12:00 10.08.24
Once the southernmost Jewish settlement in mandatory Palestine, Kibbutz Revivim was founded in 1943 by a group of Jews from Germany, Austria and Italy in the then sparsely populated Negev Desert. After barely surviving Israel’s War of Independence (aka 1948 War), the Kibbutz thrived as an agricultural, industrial and tourist hub, attracting new members from all over the country.
One of whom was Tel-Aviv born Aharon Nave, an educator who was later entrusted with managing the Kibbutz’s department of beautification. After retirement, Nave was suddenly left with a lot of spare time and energy, waiting to be channeled into something meaningful. That opportunity arose when he noticed several trees growing in several unusual ways after a car crash or flood, something which inspired him to become a horticulture artist.
Soon thereafter, Nave turned a barren patch of land in his Kibbutz into a small thriving oasis, where he bends various trees and plants into living works of art. Arborsculpture, or the practice of sculpting trees, involves shaping trees and shrubs into intricate, often surreal designs. This technique takes advantage of the natural growth patterns of trees, using methods like grafting, pruning, and bending to craft living sculptures that change and mature with the seasons.
Over the years, Nave planted a series of fast-growing trees in his ever-expanding garden, including Ficus sycomorus, palms, Syrian mesquite, oak, jacaranda and even a couple of cacti. Among the whimsical designed plants here are an “S”-shaped jacaranda, a fig tree whose gnarled roots encase a white rock, and a coiled Athel tree that has a small “window”.
However, the centerpiece of Nave’s quirky garden is undoubtedly a pair of mesquite trees whose twisted and knotted trunks earned them the moniker “the Pretzel Tree”. In recent years, the trees’ uncanny resemblance to the German pastry has gained this botanical duo an online fame, making it a popular feature in dozens of memes and articles across the internet.
Despite facing criticism for alleged plant abuse in his project, Nave maintains that the trees are not harmed during the sculpting process as he merely helps them grow in unconventional shapes.
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
