Hugging the tree after the first layers coffee, Trekker mix and chocolate milk powder have been thrown over me. In a sense these powders are used as an attack on “humanity” and “the power” human could have to cut down this tree. However, it’s doing the opposite: hugging the tree and undergoing these ‘attacks’ together. The charcoal dust and food powders also represent how far humans have gone from nature and how we are influenced by food companies.
It also illustrates how addicted humans are to sugar and refined foods. Charcoal is standing for our unstoppable greed for still using unsustainable un-efficient energy sources and not using our brains. Though some people don’t have alternatives sources and this is because governments art not thinking along and are not helping out where needed. Poverty could well be “a choice” by several malfunctioning governments so they stay in power.
The performance is taking place within an existing, (reasonable) healthy forest but, “of course”, under threat of the upcoming and expanding city (Lusaka) and deforestation by human molestation (illegal chopping trees down for charcoal and/or brick making). So, in a sense, with this performance the artist pays respect to the site (the forest) and this particular tree by hugging it, being a sign of comfort and being one with this living object for a short period of time, exchanging energy and spending time together.
In this particular case, it is spending time together no matter what is thrown at us. This may sound vague (I mean this all in a philosophical way though) especially considering that the artist is quite a sober person.