The main artwork, a 10 metre long eucalyptus leaf, is composed of thousands of hand-made ceramic pieces which will be attached to the external wall of the building, currently under construction facing Parke Street.

Each piece will be created like a shape of a stomata, a cell of a leaf, the ‘breathing holes’ of native flora.

Mayor Daniel Myles said “Breathing Tree will become a wonderful entrance feature for the centre”.

The design is inspired by images of eucalyptus leaves from trees in the Blue Mountains World Heritage area acquired using electron-microscopic technology from the Australian Microscopy and Microanalysis Research Facility at the University of Sydney.

“The work reveals the hidden process of photosynthesis and respiration of plant life to the naked human eye, asking us to once again begin a lost conversation with trees as living and breathing spirits,” said Mr Yonetani.

While living in Japan, Mr Yonetani was an assistant to pottery master Toshio Kinjo, the oldest son of national living treasure Jiro Kinjo and last year had work selected for the Australian contingent at the 53rd Venice Biennale.

The commission is curated and managed by Brecknock Consulting in association with locally-based consultant Ric McConaghy and installation is expected towards the completion of the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in mid-2012.