hortus conclusus
- as part of the international group show An_Eignungen at Kunstverein Langenhagen, I show my work at Kapelle Eichenpark, the former chapel and morgue in the landscape park of the city.
Space.
The inner yard of the prison in Hannover Langenhagen is protected by the landscape conservation guidelines. Nowadays depicting a wasteland, characterized by a drastic clear-cut in an area which used to be a habitat for bats. Right next door the airport, clearly perceivable by smell and noise of the continuous take-off and landing. Parts of the surrounding can be seen through gaps in the fences and grills, as if cut into sections.
A prison with a view on the runway, for rejected asylum seekers and short-term inmates:
How long is one year?
hortus conclusus.
One of the inmates discovers the joy of gardening at the age of 57 and maintains the exterior spaces. As one of the very few he is permitted into the protected habitat and tells me:
Outside, time passes differently.
On the sky a constantly changing pattern of condensation trails. As gardeners, we keep our gaze to the ground.
Continuity in the change of seasons.
The windows in the former chapel at Eichenpark bath the interior into a yellowish light. A quiet and coolish place for the sojourn of the last ritual.
Whereto?
If required, the prsion helps organizing temporary shelter after release. As for the bats, they hardly accept man-made substitutes as replacement for old tree populations.
Thank you to Danish Arts Council for their support.
