Processing Collapse is a public art project about extinction made for public libraries.

The research focus for this work is the regional collapse of the North American Ash forest due to the introduction of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).  In just over a decade, 99% of the mature ash trees in our region died as a result of EAB infestation. Seen another way, 7% of our forest was lost in the blink of an eye. We want to acknowledge and mark that loss as a relevant, historic event with lasting impacts on our lives and ecosystems. 

Our work materializes as custom public artworks made from remnants of the dead trees. We are identifying connections between the ash tree and the local, distinct histories of each community by presenting this work in the libraries that serve and archive our region. A relationship to the forest is forged through sculptures, objects, or furnishings that become beloved fixtures in library spaces.   

The radius for this project is modeled on a state ban, implemented in an effort to slow the spread of EAB, that prohibits the movement of firewood more than 50 miles from where a tree is felled. A 50-mile circle was drawn around the studio in Accord, New York where the research for this project began. Within this area, we identified 135 public libraries operating in 17 counties, in 5 states, and 9 library systems.