Artist Konstantin Dimopoulos Brings The Blue Trees to Houston and Galveston as part of Worldwide "Art for Change" Movement

A Project of Houston Arts Alliance with Galveston Arts Center and Galveston Island Tree Conservancy

HOUSTON, March 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Artist Konstantin Dimopoulos believes art can change the world. His temporary social art installation The Blue Trees came to Houston and Galveston this March as part of his one-man effort to use art to start an international conversation about deforestation and its global impact.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130322/DC82328)

"Through my work I am striving to address global issues and provide a visual platform to effect change," said Konstantin Dimopoulos. "So many universal concerns seem larger than an individual's power of influence, and I want to evoke in people the idea that we can all contribute to change in a positive way."

Houston Arts Alliance invited Dimopoulos to re-create his project in the region as a response to the devastating loss of trees from Hurricane Ike and the 2011 drought. With the help of more than 100 local volunteers, Dimopoulos colored the trunks of the trees with biologically-safe, water-based ultramarine mineral pigments bringing attention to our trees and the need to be prepared for the extreme weather conditions that can harm them.  An ephemeral work, the trees gradually revert back to their natural state over a six-month period.

"I am delighted that this international initiative directed by Konstantin Dimopoulos is the next reiteration of HAA's Temporary Art Program (TAP) realized in public spaces throughout the area," stated Houston Arts Alliance CEO Jonathon Glus. "Houston is an international city, and it is important for us to be mindful of environmental changes affecting our region and our world." 

The general public is encouraged to join in this international conversation by posting their commentary and images, on Twitter and Instagram, with #BlueTrees, #climatechange and #deforestation.

About 32 million acres of forests were converted to other uses or lost to natural causes each year between 2000 and 2010, according to a 2010 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

"I realized that forests are the lungs of the world," Dimopoulos said, emphasizing that society could not survive without trees.

Dimopoulos believes that deforestation, for many, is out of sight, so people don't often think about it, and that his project will get people to think about the issue.

For more information about the project and photos, visit www.bluetreestexas.org.

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SOURCE Houston Arts Alliance