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In collaboration with its community partners, the Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity has been studying the wishes and aspirations of the people of Dallas.
Using a novel participatory approach, grounded in ancient traditions and social practice art, the Wishing Tree Project aims to understand the aspirations and needs of a community, to help inform community programs and broader policies.
The History
The Dallas "Wishing Tree" was launched in 2018 as an initiative of the Crow Museum of Asian Art as part of its Lunar New Year celebrations, in partnership with Jin-Ya Huang and MAP / Make Art with Purpose. Social practice artist Jin-Ya Huang created an innovative and participatory installation of a symbolic contemporary “tree” sculpture, intentionally engaging all the senses of participants.
The Wishing Tree quickly became a beloved public space installation, which has offered its highly immersive experience to the Dallas community in several locations. While making their wish, participants are engulfed by the wishes of fellow community members, building compassion and a sense of connectedness towards one another.
The Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity became a proud partner in this effort in 2018 when Executive Director Dr. Eva Csaky visited the Wishing Tree at the invitation of Jin-Ya Huang, also a Fellow of the Hunt Institute. Fascinated by the potential of bringing social and data science to this artistic, cultural, and spiritual ritual, to learn from the wisdom of the community, the Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity team launched the "Wishing Tree Project".
Hanging wishes isn't a new phenomenon. Tanabata is a celebration that occurs every year in Japan. People of all ages make wishes, writing them on colorful strips of paper (tanzaku), and tying them to a bamboo tree at shrines or in front gardens. A similar tradition can be found in Turkey, while in Hong Kong wishes are tied to oranges and cast into the canopy of trees. In North America, Native American tribes like the Lakota and Seminole hung colored prayer ties from trees during the Sun Dance ceremony. Image: A wall covered in wishes leading up to the house of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus, Turkey
The Research Team
Jin-Ya Huang
Jasleen Dhillon
Dr. Eva Csaky
Social Practice Artist (and mother of the Dallas Wishing Tree)
Dr. Eva Csaky
Jasleen Dhillon
Dr. Eva Csaky
Team Lead
Public Policy Research
Jasleen Dhillon
Jasleen Dhillon
Dr. Candice Bledsoe
Program Manager, Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity
Dr. Candice Bledsoe
Dr. Candice Bledsoe
Dr. Candice Bledsoe
Diversity & Inclusion Research
Dr. David Lin
Dr. Candice Bledsoe
Brittney Gross
Natural Language Processing Research
Brittney Gross
Dr. Candice Bledsoe
Brittney Gross
Project Manager & Research Analyst
Dr. Nadia Zrelli Ben Hamida
Dr. Nadia Zrelli Ben Hamida
Dr. Nadia Zrelli Ben Hamida
Economics Research
Farbod Tavakkoli
Dr. Nadia Zrelli Ben Hamida
Dr. Nadia Zrelli Ben Hamida
Data Scientist