This Open Air Art Gallery Is Made From Carved Trees

Deep in the Andes mountain range of Argentina you’ll find a little gallery atop a mountain. But there’s not a Monet or Picasso in sight – instead you’ll find a tree cemetery, where fallen trees have been given new life in the form of carved sculptures.

Following a forest fire of the region in 1978, the majority of the lenga trees on the Cerro Piltriquitrón mountain were destroyed. In 1997, sculpture Marcelo Lopez began carving the remains of the forrest and giving life to El Bosque Tallado, one of the biggest attractions of the El Bolson region of western Argentina.

The remains of the trees have been carved into quirky and interesting sculptures, simultaneously promoting regional artists and the artistic culture of the region.

To get to El Bosque Tallado isn’t an easy feat though. From the car park, you ascend on a 1.3 kilometre journey to the top of the mountain, which takes around 45 minutes to an hour. Though the route is pretty tough, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the surrounding mountainous regions, making the whole trek a worthwhile venture.

(Lead image: Chelsea3048/Flickr)

Check it out for yourself – fly with Qantas to South America.