Adaptation and Growth

Embolismo por Soleá

In the heart of our woodlands, the trees weave a narrative of adaptation and growth. As drought conditions begin to place pressure on their systems, they emit subtle sounds—gentle vibrations that resonate through their tissues, telling stories of resilience and survival. These auditory signals arise long before any visible signs of distress appear, when air bubbles accumulate in their water-conducting vessels, creating tiny blockages that could ultimately compromise the tree’s vitality. Researchers have begun to listen to these sounds, recognising them as vital indicators of how our forests are evolving in response to the changing climate.

But what if we could do more than just listen? What if we could answer?

Paula Bruna’s work “Embolismo por Soleá” grows from this possibility. Drawing on her unique perspective as both an environmentalist and an artist, Bruna creates a dialogue between human and tree rhythms. The project transforms scientific understanding into artistic conversation, using the passionate rhythms of flamenco to answer the trees’ calls. The dull clapping sounds of tree embolisms find their echo in the palmas (handclaps) of flamenco dancers, creating an unexpected bridge between species.

This work challenges us to grow beyond our human-centred view of the world. By weaving together environmental science, artistic expression and imaginative thinking, Bruna invites us to see through eyes other than our own. Her research suggests that when we step outside our familiar ways of perceiving the world, we discover new possibilities for living together with other species in our shared environment.

The journey of discovery moves in multiple directions. As the trees adapt to environmental stresses, sending out their acoustic signals of change, the human participants in the project also adapt and grow. The flamenco artists learn to attune their rhythms to the subtle percussion of tree biology. Scientists find new ways to understand their data through artistic interpretation. Audiences discover connections between human culture and natural processes that they never imagined existed.

Through this innovative approach, Bruna reveals how growth emerges from unexpected conversations. The project shows us that adaptation isn’t just about surviving change—it’s about finding new ways to flourish within it. When we open ourselves to different ways of knowing and experiencing the world, we expand our capacity for understanding and connection.

This exploration transcends a mere study of how trees adapt to stress or how artists interpret natural phenomena. It invites us to expand our usual boundaries, discover new languages for understanding our environment and envision alternative ways of coexisting on our changing planet. As we transform our scientifically informed understanding of seaweed’s adaptive cycles into skincare formulations. Bruna’s work illustrates how growth arises from careful observation of nature’s rhythms.

Adaptation is not merely about survival; it is about transformation—whether it’s the coastal flora’s response to tidal patterns being translated into skincare or a tree’s stress signals becoming flamenco rhythms. Through these innovative methodologies, we learn that adaptation and growth are not separate processes but part of the same dance of life—a dance to which we are all invited to join.

With the participation of: Jordi Martínez-Vilalta, Ana Lorente, Acciones Flamenco Empírico (Carmen Muñoz, Juan Carlos Lérida, Salvador S. Sánchez, Karen Mora, Bernat Jiménez de Cisneros), and the collaboration of Laboratorio de Investigación desde el Flamenco (Institut del Teatre).

References: Paula Bruna