# Tree of Codes > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tree_of_Codes > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tree_of_Codes.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_Codes > Source revision: 1333702003 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) ***Tree of Codes*** is an artwork, in the form of a book, created by [Jonathan Safran Foer](/source/Jonathan_Safran_Foer), and published in 2010. To create the book, Foer took [Bruno Schulz](/source/Bruno_Schulz)'s book *[The Street of Crocodiles](/source/The_Street_of_Crocodiles)* and cut out the majority of the words. The publisher, Visual Editions, describes it as a "sculptural object."[1] Foer himself explains the writing process as follows: "I took my favorite book, Bruno Schulz’s *Street of Crocodiles*, and by removing words carved out a new story".[1] Due to the physical difficulties involved in printing a book where most of the words have been cut out, Foer stated that he had to contact several different publishers before finding one who was willing to print it.[2] The only printing office who could do the job was die Keure, from Belgium. He also said that due to the way the book had to be bound, it could not be produced in a [hardcover](/source/Hardcover) edition.[2] ## Reception *[The Times](/source/The_Times)* described it as "a true work of art."[3] Heather Wagner at *[Vanity Fair](/source/Vanity_Fair_(magazine))* called it "a quietly stunning work of art."[2] Michel Faber, at *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*, said that while Foer showed a strong sense of poetry, the book was less successful as a work of fiction.[4] ## Adaptations The book was adapted into a ballet by choreographer [Wayne McGregor](/source/Wayne_McGregor), composer [Jamie xx](/source/Jamie_xx), and visual artist [Olafur Eliasson](/source/Olafur_Eliasson). It was first shown in the UK as part of the [Manchester International Festival](/source/Manchester_International_Festival) in July 2015, for which it was commissioned,[5][6] and subsequently received its US premiere at the [Park Avenue Armory](/source/Park_Avenue_Armory) in September 2015.[7] Australian composer [Liza Lim](/source/Liza_Lim) adapted the book into an opera. The joint production by [Cologne Opera](/source/Cologne_Opera) and [Hellerau](/source/Festspielhaus_Hellerau) featured ensemble [musikFabrik](/source/MusikFabrik) and premiered on 9 April 2016.[8] The cast included [Emily Hindrichs](/source/Emily_Hindrichs) as Adela, [Christian Miedl](/source/Christian_Miedl) as the Son and [Carl Rosman](/source/Carl_Rosman) as the Mutant Bird. The opera's US debut took place at the 2018 [Spoleto Festival USA](/source/Spoleto_Festival_USA) in Charleston, South Carolina in a new production under the direction of [Ong Keng Sen](/source/Ong_Keng_Sen). The cast for this production featured [Marisol Montalvo](/source/Marisol_Montalvo) as Adela, [Elliot Madore](/source/Elliot_Madore) as the Son, and [Walter Dundervill](/source/Walter_Dundervill) as The Dresser.[9] ## External links - *[Tree of Codes](https://web.archive.org/web/20120918060917/http://www.visual-editions.com/our-books/tree-of-codes)* at Visual Editions. ## References 1. Heller, Steven (24 November 2010). ["Jonathan Safran Foer's Book as Art Object"](http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/jonathan-safran-foers-book-as-art-object/). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved 5 December 2011. 1. Wagner, Heather (10 November 2010). ["Jonathan Safran Foer Talks *Tree of Codes* and Conceptual Art"](http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/11/jonathan-safran-foer-talks-tree-of-codes-and-paper-art). *VF Daily, an online magazine from [Vanity Fair](/source/Vanity_Fair_(magazine))*. Retrieved 5 December 2011. 1. Erica Wagner. ["VE2: *Tree of Codes*"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120918060917/http://www.visual-editions.com/our-books/tree-of-codes). *The Times*. Visual Editions. Archived from [the original](http://www.visual-editions.com/our-books/tree-of-codes) on 2012-09-18. Retrieved 2011-12-02. "A true work of art" 1. Faber, Michel (18 December 2010). ["*Tree of Codes* by Jonathan Safran Foer – review"](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/dec/18/tree-codes-safran-foer-review). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. Retrieved 5 December 2011. 1. "[Tree of Codes: A Contemporary Ballet", Manchester International Festival.](http://www.mif.co.uk/event/tree-of-codes) 1. ["Decoding the Phantasmagoria of Wayne McGregor's "Tree of Codes" | Artinfo"](http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/1236568/decoding-the-phantasmagoria-of-wayne-mcgregors-tree-of-codes). *Artinfo*. Retrieved 2018-03-05. 1. "[New Ballet *Tree of Codes* to Make U.S. Premiere at Park Avenue Armory This Fall](http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-Ballet-TREE-OF-CODES-to-Make-US-Premiere-at-Park-Avenue-Armory-This-Fall-20150528)", *Broadway World*, May 28, 2015. Accessed: May 30, 2015. 1. musikFabrik, "[The Ecstasy of Making Art](http://www.musikfabrik.eu/en/blog/ecstasy-making-art)". April 8, 2015. 1. "[Spoleto Festival USA 2018 Event Guide](https://spoletousa.org/events/tree-of-codes/) Accessed: June 6, 2018." --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tree of Codes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_Codes) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_Codes?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.