TED Salon The Macallan
Sam Van Aken: How one tree grows 40 different kinds of fruit
Filmed:
Readability: 4.4
363,921 views
Artist Sam Van Aken shares the breathtaking work behind the "Tree of 40 Fruit," an ongoing series of hybridized fruit trees that grow 40 different varieties of peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines and cherries -- all on the same tree. What began as an art project to showcase beautiful, multi-hued blossoms has become a living archive of rare heirloom specimens and their histories, a hands-on (and delicious!) way to teach people about cultivation and a vivid symbol of the need for biodiversity to ensure food security. "More than just food, embedded in these fruit is our culture ... In many ways, these fruit are our story," Van Aken says.
Sam Van Aken - Artist
Sam Van Aken is a contemporary artist who works beyond traditional modes of art-making, crossing artistic genres and disciplines to develop new perspectives on themes like communication, botany, agriculture, climatology and the ever-increasing impact of technology. Full bio
Sam Van Aken is a contemporary artist who works beyond traditional modes of art-making, crossing artistic genres and disciplines to develop new perspectives on themes like communication, botany, agriculture, climatology and the ever-increasing impact of technology. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
100 years ago,
0
1627
1688
00:15
there were 2,000 varieties of peaches,
1
3339
3315
00:18
nearly 2,000 different varieties of plums
2
6678
3776
00:22
and almost 800 named varieties
of apples growing in the United States.
of apples growing in the United States.
3
10478
4270
00:27
Today, only a fraction of those remain,
4
15333
2487
00:29
and what is left is threatened
by industrialization of agriculture,
by industrialization of agriculture,
5
17844
4271
00:34
disease and climate change.
6
22139
1790
00:36
Those varieties that are threatened
include the Blood Cling,
include the Blood Cling,
7
24264
4177
00:40
a red-flesh peach brought
by Spanish missionaries to the Americas,
by Spanish missionaries to the Americas,
8
28465
4721
00:45
then cultivated by Native
Americans for centuries;
Americans for centuries;
9
33210
3380
00:48
an apricot that was brought
by Chinese immigrants
by Chinese immigrants
10
36614
2694
00:51
who came to work
on the Transcontinental Railroad;
on the Transcontinental Railroad;
11
39332
3214
00:54
and countless varieties of plums
that originated in the Middle East
that originated in the Middle East
12
42570
4371
00:58
and were then brought by Italian,
French and German immigrants.
French and German immigrants.
13
46965
3683
01:03
None of these varieties are indigenous.
14
51116
2217
01:05
In fact, almost all of our fruit trees
were brought here,
were brought here,
15
53357
4306
01:09
including apples and peaches and cherries.
16
57687
3174
01:13
So more than just food,
17
61395
1363
01:14
embedded within these fruit
is our culture.
is our culture.
18
62782
2762
01:18
It's the people who cared for
and cultivated them,
and cultivated them,
19
66176
2831
01:21
who valued them so much
that they brought them here with them
that they brought them here with them
20
69031
3515
01:24
as a connection to their home,
21
72570
2278
01:26
and it's the way that they've passed
them on and shared them.
them on and shared them.
22
74872
2960
01:29
In many ways, these fruit are our story.
23
77856
2556
01:33
And I was fortunate enough
to learn about it
to learn about it
24
81062
3794
01:36
through an artwork that I created
entitled the "Tree of 40 Fruit."
entitled the "Tree of 40 Fruit."
25
84880
3229
01:40
The Tree of 40 Fruit is a single tree
26
88133
2588
01:42
that grows 40 different
varieties of stone fruit.
varieties of stone fruit.
27
90745
2852
01:46
So that's peaches, plums, apricots,
nectarines and cherries
nectarines and cherries
28
94121
4938
01:51
all growing on one tree.
29
99083
1817
01:52
It's designed to be a normal-looking tree
throughout the majority of the year,
throughout the majority of the year,
30
100924
3753
01:56
until spring, when it blossoms
in pink and white
in pink and white
31
104701
3538
02:00
and then in summer,
bears a multitude of different fruit.
bears a multitude of different fruit.
32
108263
3466
02:03
I began the project
for purely artistic reasons:
for purely artistic reasons:
33
111753
3278
02:07
I wanted to change
the reality of the everyday,
the reality of the everyday,
34
115055
2814
02:09
and to be honest,
35
117893
1160
02:11
create this startling moment
when people would see this tree
when people would see this tree
36
119077
2849
02:13
blossom in all these different colors
37
121950
3358
02:17
and bear all of these different fruit.
38
125332
1832
02:19
I created the Tree of 40 Fruit
through the process of grafting.
through the process of grafting.
39
127188
3236
02:22
I'll collect cuttings
in winter, store them,
in winter, store them,
40
130782
2947
02:25
and then graft them
onto the ends of branches in spring.
onto the ends of branches in spring.
41
133753
3166
02:28
In fact, almost all
fruit trees are grafted,
fruit trees are grafted,
42
136943
3033
02:32
because the seed of a fruit tree
is a genetic variant of the parent.
is a genetic variant of the parent.
43
140000
3843
02:35
So when we find a variety
that we really like,
that we really like,
44
143867
3316
02:39
the way that we propagate it
is by taking a cutting off of one tree
is by taking a cutting off of one tree
45
147207
3692
02:42
and putting it onto another --
46
150923
1469
02:44
which is kind of crazy to think
47
152416
2202
02:46
that every single Macintosh apple
came from one tree
came from one tree
48
154642
4058
02:50
that's been grafted over and over
from generation to generation.
from generation to generation.
49
158724
4171
02:55
But it also means that fruit trees
can't be preserved by seed.
can't be preserved by seed.
50
163603
4046
03:00
I've known about grafting
as long as I can remember.
as long as I can remember.
51
168147
2851
03:03
My great-grandfather made a living
grafting peach orchards
grafting peach orchards
52
171022
2928
03:05
in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
53
173974
1833
03:07
And although I never met him,
54
175831
1432
03:09
any time anyone would mention his name,
55
177287
2212
03:11
they were quick to note
56
179523
1151
03:12
that he knew how to graft as if he had
a magical or mystical capability.
a magical or mystical capability.
57
180698
3758
03:16
I decided on the number 40
for the Tree of 40 Fruit
for the Tree of 40 Fruit
58
184817
3000
03:19
because it's found
throughout Western religion
throughout Western religion
59
187841
2206
03:22
as not the quantifiable dozen
and not the infinite
and not the infinite
60
190071
2897
03:24
but a number that's beyond counting.
61
192992
2001
03:27
It's a bounty or a multitude.
62
195017
2357
03:29
But the problem was that when I started,
63
197791
2001
03:31
I couldn't find 40 different
varieties of these fruit,
varieties of these fruit,
64
199816
3651
03:35
and this is despite the fact
that I live in New York state,
that I live in New York state,
65
203491
2802
03:38
which, a century ago,
66
206317
1450
03:39
was one of the leading
producers of these fruit.
producers of these fruit.
67
207791
2419
03:42
So as they were tearing out
research orchards
research orchards
68
210582
2572
03:45
and old, vintage orchards,
69
213178
1360
03:46
I would collect branches off them
70
214562
1906
03:48
and graft them onto trees in my nursery.
71
216492
2143
03:51
So this is what the Tree of 40 Fruit
look like when they were first planted,
look like when they were first planted,
72
219140
3796
03:54
and this is what they look like
six years later.
six years later.
73
222960
2273
03:57
This is definitely not a sport
of immediate gratification --
of immediate gratification --
74
225257
2842
04:00
(Laughter)
75
228123
1594
04:01
It takes a year to know
if a graft has succeeded;
if a graft has succeeded;
76
229741
3438
04:05
it takes two to three years
to know if it produces fruit;
to know if it produces fruit;
77
233203
3146
04:08
and it takes up to eight years
to create just one of the trees.
to create just one of the trees.
78
236373
3099
04:12
Each of the varieties grafted
to the Tree of 40 Fruit
to the Tree of 40 Fruit
79
240943
2797
04:15
has a slightly different form
and a slightly different color.
and a slightly different color.
80
243764
2936
04:19
And I realized that by creating a timeline
of when all these blossomed
of when all these blossomed
81
247214
3403
04:22
in relationship to each other,
82
250641
1882
04:24
I can essentially shape or design
how the tree appears during spring.
how the tree appears during spring.
83
252547
4531
04:29
And this is how they appear during summer.
84
257102
2001
04:31
They produce fruit from June
through September.
through September.
85
259127
2778
04:33
First is cherries, then apricots,
86
261929
2560
04:36
Asian plums, nectarines and peaches,
87
264513
3310
04:39
and I think I forgot one
in there, somewhere ...
in there, somewhere ...
88
267847
2320
04:42
(Laughter)
89
270191
1285
04:43
Although it's an artwork
that exists outside of the gallery,
that exists outside of the gallery,
90
271500
3018
04:46
as the project continues,
91
274542
1651
04:48
it's been conservation
by way of the art world.
by way of the art world.
92
276217
2932
04:51
As I've been asked to create
these in different locations,
these in different locations,
93
279173
2716
04:53
what I'll do is I'll research varieties
94
281913
2298
04:56
that originated or were
historically grown in that area,
historically grown in that area,
95
284235
3421
04:59
I'll source them locally
and graft them to the tree
and graft them to the tree
96
287680
2938
05:02
so that it becomes an agricultural history
of the area where they're located.
of the area where they're located.
97
290642
3792
05:06
And then the project got picked up online,
98
294458
2318
05:08
which was horrifying and humbling.
99
296800
2254
05:11
The horrifying part
was all of the tattoos that I saw
was all of the tattoos that I saw
100
299078
3825
05:14
of images of the Tree of 40 Fruit.
101
302927
1855
05:16
(Laughter)
102
304806
1023
05:17
Which I was like, "Why would
you do that to your body?"
you do that to your body?"
103
305853
2627
05:20
(Laughter)
104
308504
1095
05:21
And the humbling part
was all of the requests that I received
was all of the requests that I received
105
309623
3141
05:24
from pastors, from rabbis and priests
106
312788
2931
05:27
who asked to use the tree
as a central part within their service.
as a central part within their service.
107
315743
3159
05:30
And then it became a meme --
108
318926
1643
05:32
and the answer to that question
is "I hope not?"
is "I hope not?"
109
320593
3619
05:36
[Is your marriage
like the Tree of 40 Fruit?]
like the Tree of 40 Fruit?]
110
324236
2214
05:38
(Laughter)
111
326474
1151
05:39
Like all good memes,
112
327649
1288
05:40
this has led to an interview
on NPR's "Weekend Edition,"
on NPR's "Weekend Edition,"
113
328961
3476
05:44
and as a college professor,
I thought I peaked --
I thought I peaked --
114
332461
3993
05:48
like, that was the pinnacle
of my career --
of my career --
115
336478
2343
05:50
but you never know who's listening to NPR.
116
338845
3271
05:54
And several weeks after the NPR interview,
117
342140
3332
05:57
I received an email
from the Department of Defense.
from the Department of Defense.
118
345496
2430
06:00
The Defense Advanced Research
Project Administration invited me
Project Administration invited me
119
348368
4009
06:04
to come talk about
innovation and creativity,
innovation and creativity,
120
352401
2997
06:07
and it's a conversation that quickly
shifted to a discussion of food security.
shifted to a discussion of food security.
121
355422
3984
06:11
You see, our national security
is dependent upon our food security.
is dependent upon our food security.
122
359957
4504
06:16
Now that we've created these monocultures
123
364829
2080
06:18
that only grow a few
varieties of each crop,
varieties of each crop,
124
366933
3241
06:22
if something happens
to just one of those varieties,
to just one of those varieties,
125
370198
2973
06:25
it can have a dramatic impact
upon our food supply.
upon our food supply.
126
373195
2687
06:28
And the key to maintaining
our food security
our food security
127
376388
3008
06:31
is preserving our biodiversity.
128
379420
1965
06:33
100 years ago, this was done
by everybody that had a garden
by everybody that had a garden
129
381690
4435
06:38
or a small stand of trees
in their backyard,
in their backyard,
130
386149
2524
06:40
and grew varieties that were
passed down through their family.
passed down through their family.
131
388697
3087
06:43
These are plums from just one Tree
of 40 Fruit in one week in August.
of 40 Fruit in one week in August.
132
391808
4867
06:48
Several years into the project,
133
396699
1527
06:50
I was told that I have one of the largest
collections of these fruit
collections of these fruit
134
398250
3355
06:53
in the Eastern United States,
135
401629
2024
06:55
which, as an artist,
is absolutely terrifying.
is absolutely terrifying.
136
403677
2978
06:58
(Laughter)
137
406679
1150
07:00
But in many ways,
I didn't know what I had.
I didn't know what I had.
138
408300
2212
07:02
I discovered that the majority
of the varieties I had
of the varieties I had
139
410536
2490
07:05
were heirloom varieties,
140
413050
1160
07:06
so those that were grown before 1945,
141
414234
2872
07:09
which is seen as the dawn
of the industrialization of agriculture.
of the industrialization of agriculture.
142
417130
3380
07:13
Several of the varieties dated back
thousands and thousands of years.
thousands and thousands of years.
143
421059
3666
07:17
And finding out how rare they were,
144
425864
3183
07:21
I became obsessed
with trying to preserve them,
with trying to preserve them,
145
429071
2984
07:24
and the vehicle for this became art.
146
432079
1818
07:25
I would go into old, vintage orchards
before they were torn out
before they were torn out
147
433921
3140
07:29
and I would save the bowl
or the trunk section
or the trunk section
148
437085
2345
07:31
that possessed the original graft union.
149
439454
2164
07:33
I started doing pressings
of flowers and the leaves
of flowers and the leaves
150
441642
3712
07:37
to create herbarium specimens.
151
445378
1788
07:39
I started to sequence the DNA.
152
447190
2151
07:41
But ultimately, I set out
to preserve the story
to preserve the story
153
449365
3703
07:45
through these copper-plate etchings
and letterpress descriptions.
and letterpress descriptions.
154
453092
3302
07:48
To tell the story of the George IV peach,
155
456418
3706
07:52
which took root between
two buildings in New York City --
two buildings in New York City --
156
460148
3591
07:55
someone walks by, tastes it,
157
463763
2585
07:58
it becomes a major commercial
variety in the 19th century
variety in the 19th century
158
466372
3408
08:01
because it tastes just that good.
159
469804
2656
08:04
Then all but vanishes,
160
472833
1821
08:06
because it doesn't ship well
161
474678
1465
08:08
and it doesn't conform
to modern agriculture.
to modern agriculture.
162
476167
2668
08:11
But I realize that as a story,
it needs to be told.
it needs to be told.
163
479716
3533
08:15
And in the telling of that story,
164
483273
1723
08:17
it has to include the experience
of being able to touch,
of being able to touch,
165
485020
4201
08:21
to smell and to taste those varieties.
166
489245
2416
08:23
So I set out to create an orchard
167
491685
2172
08:25
to make these fruit
available to the public,
available to the public,
168
493881
2552
08:28
and have the aim of placing them
in the highest density of people
in the highest density of people
169
496457
3264
08:31
that I could possibly find.
170
499745
1786
08:33
Naturally, I started looking for an acre
of land in New York City --
of land in New York City --
171
501555
3748
08:37
(Laughter)
172
505327
1001
08:38
which, in retrospect,
seemed, like, rather ambitious,
seemed, like, rather ambitious,
173
506352
4380
08:42
and probably the reason why nobody
was returning my phone calls or emails --
was returning my phone calls or emails --
174
510756
4307
08:47
(Laughter)
175
515087
1007
08:48
until eventually, four years later,
I heard back from Governors Island.
I heard back from Governors Island.
176
516118
5049
08:53
So Governors Island is a former naval base
177
521191
3435
08:56
that was given
to the City of New York in 2000.
to the City of New York in 2000.
178
524650
2574
08:59
And it opened up all of this land
179
527248
1632
09:00
just a five-minute ferry ride
from New York.
from New York.
180
528904
2288
09:03
And they invited me to create a project
that we're calling the "Open Orchard"
that we're calling the "Open Orchard"
181
531216
4414
09:07
that will bring back fruit varieties
182
535654
1785
09:09
that haven't been grown
in New York for over a century.
in New York for over a century.
183
537463
2765
09:12
Currently in progress,
184
540721
1462
09:14
The Open Orchard
will be 50 multigrafted trees
will be 50 multigrafted trees
185
542207
4162
09:18
that possess 200 heirloom
and antique fruit varieties.
and antique fruit varieties.
186
546393
4820
09:23
So these are varieties that originated
or were historically grown in the region.
or were historically grown in the region.
187
551647
4025
09:28
Varieties like the Early Strawberry apple,
188
556049
2567
09:30
which originated on 13th Street
and Third Avenue.
and Third Avenue.
189
558640
3479
09:34
Since a fruit tree
can't be preserved by seed,
can't be preserved by seed,
190
562143
2968
09:37
The Open Orchard will act
like a living gene bank,
like a living gene bank,
191
565135
2872
09:40
or an archive of these fruit.
192
568031
1542
09:41
Like the Tree of 40 Fruit,
193
569597
1387
09:43
it will be experiential;
194
571008
1381
09:44
it will also be symbolic.
195
572413
1770
09:46
Most importantly, it's going to invite
people to participate in conservation
people to participate in conservation
196
574207
4960
09:51
and to learn more about their food.
197
579191
2141
09:53
Through the Tree of 40 Fruit,
198
581356
1496
09:54
I've received thousands
and thousands of emails from people,
and thousands of emails from people,
199
582876
2810
09:57
asking basic questions
about "How do you plant a tree?"
about "How do you plant a tree?"
200
585710
3433
10:01
With less than three percent
of the population
of the population
201
589661
2156
10:03
having any direct tie to agriculture,
202
591841
2616
10:06
the Open Orchard
is going to invite people
is going to invite people
203
594481
2540
10:09
to come take part in public programming
and to take part in workshops,
and to take part in workshops,
204
597045
4178
10:13
to learn how to graft, to grow,
to prune and to harvest a tree;
to prune and to harvest a tree;
205
601247
4263
10:17
to take part in fresh eating
and blossom tours;
and blossom tours;
206
605534
2849
10:20
to work with local chefs
to learn how to use these fruit
to learn how to use these fruit
207
608407
2675
10:23
and to recreate centuries-old dishes
208
611106
2111
10:25
that many of these varieties
were grown specifically for.
were grown specifically for.
209
613241
3341
10:28
Extending beyond the physical
site of the orchard,
site of the orchard,
210
616606
2334
10:30
it will be a cookbook
that compiles all of those recipes.
that compiles all of those recipes.
211
618964
3380
10:34
It will be a field guide
212
622753
1497
10:36
that talks about the characteristics
and traits of those fruit,
and traits of those fruit,
213
624274
3349
10:39
their origin and their story.
214
627647
1697
10:41
Growing up on a farm,
I thought I understood agriculture,
I thought I understood agriculture,
215
629368
3367
10:44
and I didn't want anything to do with it.
216
632759
2305
10:47
So I became an artist --
217
635523
1564
10:49
(Laughter)
218
637111
1948
10:51
But I have to admit that it's something
within my own DNA.
within my own DNA.
219
639377
3421
10:55
And I don't think that I'm the only one.
220
643358
1937
10:57
100 years ago, we were all much more
closely tied to the culture,
closely tied to the culture,
221
645721
5108
11:02
the cultivation
and the story of our food,
and the story of our food,
222
650853
2992
11:05
and we've been separated from that.
223
653869
1772
11:08
The Open Orchard creates the opportunity
224
656259
2364
11:10
not just to reconnect
to this unknown past,
to this unknown past,
225
658647
3587
11:14
but a way for us to consider
what the future of our food could be.
what the future of our food could be.
226
662258
3655
11:18
Thank you.
227
666428
1151
11:19
(Applause)
228
667603
3833
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sam Van Aken - ArtistSam Van Aken is a contemporary artist who works beyond traditional modes of art-making, crossing artistic genres and disciplines to develop new perspectives on themes like communication, botany, agriculture, climatology and the ever-increasing impact of technology.
Why you should listen
Sam Van Aken’s interventions in the natural and public realm are seen as metaphors that serve as the basis of narrative, sites of place making and, in some cases, even become the basis of scientific research.
Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Van Aken received his undergraduate education in art and communication theory. Immediately following his studies, he lived in Poland and worked with dissident artists under the former communist regime through the auspices of the Andy Warhol Foundation and the United States Information Agency. Van Aken received his MFA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and since then his work has been exhibited and placed nationally and internationally. He has received numerous honors including a Joan Mitchell Foundation Award, Association of International Curator's of Art Award and a Creative Capital Grant. Most recently, his work has been presented as part of Nature-Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial with the Cube Design Museum, Netherlands. Van Aken lives and works in Syracuse, New York, where he is currently an associate professor in the School of Art at Syracuse University. Van Aken's work is represented by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts.
Sam Van Aken | Speaker | TED.com