Ideology
Forest in the Tree comes from crafting software for over 20 years, and a realisation...
“And you could have it all / My empire of dirt”
The technical skills acquired are not worth being too precious about. Technology comes and goes, and the context around the technology is just as important - it is but a tree in a forest.
Forest in the Tree captures the evolving, interrelated, and often inverted socio-technical relationship of people and technology. As with all relationships, there is always give and take, and the question is, how do we have a sustainable and healthy relationship with technology?
It is like food, if everything on your plate is brown, something has gone wrong - where is the colour? If you are addicted and not nourished by what you eat, something has gone wrong - where are the nutrients? Where is the joy?
It was only a generation or two ago where many many more people made things. If you cook, you have a deeper relationship with what you eat. If you make things, you have a deeper relationship with what you use and what you have around you. You have agency to change your world.
Forest in the Tree is about making things into existence. What to make will be led by curiosity and an innate desire to question and play with my surroundings. There will be plenty of new skills required, but as long as there is curiosity, the motivation and drive will come along for the ride. In that way it is an artistic pursuit with no end, just more questions to nourish my mind, body and soul.
Forest in the Tree is also but one tree, within a broader forest. There is a vast ecosystem of others seeking something better and more nourishing. I'm at my natural best when collaborating in multidisciplinary teams. If you would like to collaborate, feel free to reach out by email or socials.
Hopefully on this journey, I can leave behind something that others can find useful, joyful or even just get a feeling of empowerment to try things yourself. If you want to follow along, feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel @forestinthetree, or subscribe to my newsletter below:
Tak Tran, May 2025