Amrita Tandon Art

'Your hopes and dreams, whatever they may be. Entrust them to the Wishing Tree'. In most cultures the tree is an eternal symbol of life, of strength, of wisdom and of longevity. Humans have long worshipped trees and this custom continues into modern times. In this painting I explore the mythological belief that trees are related to the heavens, that they are antennae for divine energies. Many cultures make offerings to trees to have a wish granted or a prayer heard. This could be in the form of a string tied to a Wishing Tree, a colourful ribbon, a piece of paper with a wish or even a coin hammered into the trunk of a tree. The Tanabata festival in Japan, the kalpavriksha in India, Dilek Ağaci in Turkey, clootie wells in Scotland, coin trees in UK and the Lam Tsuen wishing trees in Hong Kong, show that we still hold on to our ancient beliefs.