Recently there was quite a bit of internet buzz surrounding Gerda Steiner and Jorg Lenzlinger's 'Falling Garden' installation in Venice. The Swiss artists, who have been working together since 1997, create some of the most magical and inspiring installations I have ever seen.Their work often revolves around the idea of a garden, a place that is both a source of quiet reflection and wild growth. Each piece tells a fascinating story, but beneath each project's beautiful presentation and whimsical design, lies a deeper narrative that deserves as much attention as the artwork itself. The installations often include found objects - everything from plant life to pigeon bones, discarded cables to tiny car parts.
If you have few minutes, I recommend browsing through their website, which is filled with wonderful descriptions about the concept behind each project.
Some of my favorites include 'Heimatmaschine' (bottom image) and 'How Did the Walrus Get to Madrid'? (middle two images) The latter is part investigation expose, part ode to the displaced walrus, who found himself on the wall of the Natural Science Museum in Madrid. The artists explore the animal's origins and mythical legends surrounding walruses throughout the world.
The most wonderful artist's statement though is hidden in the summary of 'Brain Forest', shown in the top two images. A crazy collection of objects are suspended and connected to represent the wild connections of the brain.
In the artists own words, "In the rain forest of the brain, the bio-diversity of thoughts proliferates and the intellect's short-circuits whirr in your eyes. Needless to say, as time goes by the circuits get tired and nervous; there are burn-outs and failures. But chance creates the most sparkling ideas."
1 comment:
so whimsical and wild...thanks for sharing!
Post a Comment