common ground
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The work engages with the historical figure of the tree planter depicted on the 50-pfennig coin—a motif that came to symbolize female reconstruction and cultural renewal in post-war Germany.
Young oak trees, grown from collected acorns, form the material and conceptual core of the work. In the transparent hydroponic culture, each acorn’s inherent knowledge of how to grow becomes visible—independent of human intervention.
After the war, the „Kulturfrauen“ replanted devastated forests, laying the foundation for sustainable forest development. While reforestation protects forests, the climate-altered by human activity — now threatens their continued existence. The Plexiglas objects make this tension visible, creating a space for resonance in which nature and culture are inextricably intertwined.
Common Ground understands planting as both a cultural act and a shared responsibility — an act that redefines soil in both a literal and a figurative sense.
Common Ground, 2024
Acorns from the sessile oak Quercus petraea in water
Polymethyl methacrylate, milled and polished 3 objects, each 75 x 5 x 30 cm
