The Taking Tree
is a story in two parts - Part One reads like a mystery, and Part Two reads like a horror story. The main character isn't a hero - at best he's a regular, but clumsy guy with a gift for sculpting with silicone - at worst he's arrogant, selfish, and murderous. There are heroes in this story, but most aren't clear until the end. Torn between two lives, the main character splits and lives both. In one, he unwittingly brings destruction with him, and in the other he's more deliberate. One life explores the complexity of the contemporary art business, the other follows a trail through rural, working-class America. Written by an internationally known artist, this is a dark, but colorful tale about an ancient destructive part of human nature and the difficulty of confronting our roots.