what does it mean for a tree to grow old?

This piece has been made by translating DNA sequences into sound, using an instrument designed to mimic the genetic reading process found in all living cells.

The composition is based on DNA sequences from bracket fungi identified on the island of Kuusiluoto through fieldwork and observations from the Finnish biodiversity database Laji.fi. Species are grouped according to their conservation status (LC, NT, and VU), with each category assigned a different degree of musical variation: the rarer the species, the more complex its sonic pattern.

Bracket fungi are key indicators of forest health and deadwood diversity, and many threatened species depend on old-growth forests that are increasingly disappearing due to industrial forestry. As deadwood habitats decline, so too does the biodiversity they support. In this work, sonic density reflects ecological complexity—the richer the soundscape, the more life the forest is capable of sustaining.

This piece was made for the Luodolla Retreat Exhibition (30 July–1 August 2026).