now

8–20–23

OPEN STUDIOS, Kulturstiftung Schloss Wiepersdorf
August 20, 2023

I will show excerpts from the current work in progress:
ABOUT AN UNDISCIPLINABLE TREE

What does 19th century clearing have to do with climate change? What do strangely growing trees tell us about human desires, passions, and fears?

My current project focuses on the peculiar, little-known Süntelbuche, which is completely unsuitable for any economic use due to its twisted growth – and which was therefore almost wiped out in Germany in the mid-19th century by large-scale clearing. Just a few individual trees remained and survived, mainly in parks and botanical gardens.

Today, only in the forests around Torna Hällestad/Sweden and Vérzy/France larger populations can still be found.

My research on the history and present of this unique tree is taking me across Germany and Europe and right into the middle of debates about water, sinking groundwater levels, forest fires, reforestation, forest restructuring, nature conservation and, finally, to current questions about the psychosocial consequences of the climate crisis and changing patterns of ways of thinking and behaving in this context.

Torna Hällestad, Sweden, April 1, 2023
Vérzy, France, March 18, 2023
Torna Hällestad, Sweden, April 1, 2023
Studio House, Schloss Wiepersdorf

Schloss Wiepersdorf
Wiepersdorf – Bettina-von-Arnim-Straße 13
14913 Niederer Fläming

www.schloss-wiepersdorf.de/en