Maria Installation
Christoph Hesse Architects
ARCHITECTS
Christoph Hesse Architects
LEAD ARCHITECTS
Christoph Hesse
MANUFACTURERS
Stolle Gardening
DESIGN
Christoph Hesse, Michela Quadrelli
PROGRAM / USE / BUILDING FUNCTION
Pavilion at the documenta fifteen Kassel
COLLABORATORS
Barbara Ettinger-Brinckmann, BDA Hessen / Group Kassel, ruangrupa / curators of documenta fifteen
PHOTOGRAPHS
Laurian Ghinitoiu, Christoph Hesse Architects
AREA
20 m²
YEAR
2022
LOCATION
Kassel, Germany
CATEGORY
Installations & Structures
The installation Maria is a so-called Reflecting Point, planned and collectively built for Documenta fifteen, the world art exhibition that takes place in Kassel every five years.
It is a place of reflection, remembrance, contemplation, and togetherness. It consists of seven spruce trunks which, if stacked on top of each other, would restore the spruce of the original tree. It was planted 125 years ago by Christoph Hesse’s great-grandmother Maria when she was a little girl.
Unfortunately, the majestic tree died two years ago, killed by a plague of bark beetles caused by climate change.
Therefore, it is a monument for reflection. A place to think about how people can slow down and counteract climate change.
The Reflecting Point Maria defines an open place of fellowship, remembrance, and reflection.
In 1896, a young girl, my great-grandmother Maria (C.H.), planted this spruce tree in her native Sauerland.
Hence the tree’s name is Maria. Sadly, it died of thirst last year due to climate change. The tree Maria lived to the age of 125.
