Whithe Element 001 / Berlin
2003
White Element 001 / Berlin Tree 01 / After / After / After Time
White Element Berlin Tree 01 is my first work in these series. The name is an easy derivation of place, time and what you see. Element is a name which could be used in the (post) minimalistic art movement, which I hugely appreciate.
Subtitles 'After' and 'After Time' (photo 3 is taken after 6 weeks) means that the before picture would be the tree without the white element. 'After Time' means you see the effect of time on the installation. In the picture you see 3 stadia of the piece. I concider the tree and the white element as 1 work of art.
In this installation time is playing an important role. The image is static, but the tree is not. It will move in the wind, it grows and natural elements like water are a life source to the tree but a danger to art. Unnatural is one of the main issue’s here. Natural, Unnatural, Artificial, Art? The choice for plaster was a deliberate one. Plaster is unnaturally white and both weak and strong. Nature is stronger and will overcome the artificial.
The white element on the tree is a plaster element (size 30cmx60cmx120cm) (at max) and is floating 10cm centimetre above the ground. By deciding the configuration, size and shape I looked at the tree, visualize the 3D sketch and made a sketch in Photoshop (photo is lost). Still I had to play with sizes which should work best. I looked at my body sizes (177cm x 49cm x 30cm) to see what this does for the size and proportions. It is also a way to have an even more personal connection with this tree.