Eine Bank für Zempow 2008
A bench for Zempow

Blühende Landschaften , Zempow, Germany
styrodor, cement, colour, 400 x 135 x 105 cm

A wooden bench along a hiking path with views to a meadow, invites you to sit and contemplate, however the bench for Zempow, is disproportionately large, resembling a displaced installation with in the scenic view. It is built from Styrofoam and rendered in cement, a common practice in building artificial objects in tourist attractions and theme parks. Its presence explores our perceptions of reality and artifice and our understanding of the term landscape as we use it today.
Since the romantic era man has interpreted harmony by looking at the natural world. Today, our desire to experience nature has prompted us to invent an idealized version of the natural world. This perception is influenced greatly by mass media and stereotypical images of natural beauty, which often conflict with reality.