Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) presents an extraordinary immersive installation by internationally acclaimed artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast.

An immersive video and sound experience, Of the Oak will bring the Chapel to life, revealing the inner workings and interconnectivity of an oak tree and its surroundings. Through cutting-edge digital art and sound design, Of the Oak reveals the invisible networks that sustains one of nature’s greatest ecosystems – a captivating fusion of art, science and wonder. 

The installation immerses visitors into the pulse and rhythm of a mighty oak; seeing its secret heartbeat with nutrients weaving through its veins, roots whispering through fungal threads, and countless creatures making their homes within its gnarled branches.  

Using LiDAR scanning, ground-penetrating radar, CT-scanned soil samples, and thousands of photographs, Marshmallow Laser Feast have created a remarkable “digital double” of Kew Gardens’ majestic Lucombe Oak. The result is a mesmerising large-scale video installation accompanied by a surround-sound audio environment – recorded over 24 hours by arborists at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex – that fills the Chapel with the living soundscape of the oak. 

A single oak tree can support more than 2,300 species – from lichens clinging to bark, to birds nesting in branches, butterflies drifting through leaves, and a vast underground network of fungi.(1) Of the Oak reveals this extraordinary biodiversity in stunning visual detail, showing how energy and carbon flow through the tree’s body and into the soil below.

Of the Oak offers something magical for everyone; children will be enchanted by the journey from canopy to roots, discovering beetles, birds, butterflies and fungi in dazzling detail. Adults will find moments of awe, reflection, and renewed connection with the natural world – a reminder of the importance of protecting these living monuments. 

YSP has a historic wealth of more than 1,700 individual parkland trees as well as diverse woodlands across its stunning 500-acre landscape. The estate is also home to three officially designated ‘ancient’ trees - an Ash below Skyspace, thought to be up to 500 years old, and two majestic Oaks within the Country Park. All stand as living testaments to the rich natural heritage that complements YSP’s world-class art and landscape.

Ersin Han Ersin of Marshmallow Laser Feast said:“We’re thrilled that after its world premiere at Kew Gardens earlier this year, Of the Oak is being presented at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. YSP stands as a pinnacle of how the dialogue between nature and art can be nurtured, not just as a backdrop but as an inseparable bond between land, story and art.”

Head of Programmes, Dr Alex Hodby added:“As both a celebration and an invitation to reflect, Of the Oak encourages visitors to see trees - and our relationship with them - in a new light, deepening our connection with the living world around us.  The installation also features guided meditations written by leading nature writers and scientists, including acclaimed author Merlin Sheldrake, offering peaceful moments of stillness amid the seasonal hustle and bustle.” 

Commissioned by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Of the Oak will be on display in YSP’s 18th century Chapel from 6 December, throughout the festive period and into 2026. 

YSP is a charity and accredited museum, dedicated to making great art and beautiful landscapes accessible to all. Admission is free for children and young people aged 18 and under, and adult tickets are just £11 with Gift Aid – offering one of the best-value days out in Yorkshire. Advance booking is recommended during the busy festive period. Parking is free.

(1) Study by Ruth Mitchell from the James Hutton Institute. Mitchell, R.J. et al.(2019) Oak-associated biodiversity in the UK

Notes for Editors
Press enquiries 
Mana Merikhy / +44 (0) 7595217618 / mana@suttoncomms.com
YSP / +44 (0)1924 832631 / comms@ysp.org.uk 
Download images at ysp.org.uk/press  

Listings information 
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG 
Near Wakefield and Barnsley – M1 Junction 38 
+44 (0)1924 832631 | ysp.org.uk | @YSPsculpture 
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Book tickets at ysp.org.uk 

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