Furrowed Oak

Furrowed Oak is carved to echo the agricultural landscape of north-east Poland, where it was made.

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Photo: Furrowed Oak by David Nash

Furrowed Oak in the Temperate House at Kew Gardens

Date and material

  • 1991
  • Polish oak
Photo: Furrowed Oak being carved in Poland
Furrowed Oak being carved in Poland (Photo by David Nash)

Form inspired by place

In the 1990s, Poland's agricultural landscape was still relatively old-fashioned. Oak woodlands surrounded fields ploughed by horses - with furrows first cut up and down, and then around the edges. Inspired by this landscape, Nash chose to carve furrows into his work - around where the trunk had been, and up and down the branch section.

Photo: David Nash sitting on Furrowed Oak

Local villagers took great interest in Nash's work - and often came to watch what was happening in the wood quarry. (Photo by David Nash)

A vessel of the past

When Nash sourced this wood he discovered that the big oak tree it came from was filled with shrapnel from the First World War. It grew in an area where a long and bloody battle between the Russian and German armies took place.

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