Marshmallow Laser Feast's 'Of the Oak' Digital Installation Reveals Tree's Hidden Ecosystem at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Marshmallow Laser Feast's immersive digital installation 'Of the Oak' transforms Yorkshire Sculpture Park's Chapel into a portal revealing the hidden biodiversity of a single tree. The collective created a 'digital double' of Kew Gardens' historic Lucombe Oak using LiDAR, radar, CT scanning, and photogrammetry to visualize energy flows and underground fungal networks. Commissioned by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the work originally debuted in London before traveling to Wakefield. Artist and Director Ersin Han Ersin explains the project emerged from 2019 research documenting over 2,300 species associated with English oaks. The installation includes interactive video, soundscapes from 24-hour recordings, and collaborative meditations with writers Daisy Lafarge, Ella Saltmarshe, Laline Paull, and Merlin Sheldrake. Scientists predict 50% of UK oaks could disappear by century's end due to Acute oak decline and climate stressors. The exhibition runs through 15 March 2025, inviting visitors to experience trees as relational networks rather than singular entities.