In the exhibition „By Tomorrow the Tree will have a Title“ machen Crispin Gurholt and Heiko Kalmbach make a tree the subject of fictional and documentary explorations in film, text, performance and photography. Their collaboration addresses themes of projection and becoming as they enter narratives with shifting realities and questionable truths - all in search for the tree’s soul, and its extended meaning.
Welche Weisheit kann uns dieser Baum im Hof von „Am Strom 53“ in Bezug auf unsere Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft vermitteln? Wir beginnen mit der Annahme, der Baum habe eine Seele, ein Bewusstsein. Erkennen wir, ob es sich hier um eine „Sie“, einen „Er“ oder etwa um beides handelt? Gehört dieser Baum zu einer Familie, einer Gemeinschaft, und wie ist er mit anderen Bäumen und Lebewesen verbunden? Ist er ein Aktivist, ein Therapeut, ein Seelenverwandter? Ist der Baum ein Wesen wie wir, auch wenn er nicht wie wir denkt, fühlt oder kommuniziert?
In this process we made the tree our counterpart, a character, to resonate with life and personal history. To put us in touch with the tree`s soul, Munch’s soul, the soul of the house, its surroundings, flowers, nature and the reality of life. We are being confronted; history becomes palpable. The tree has lived through more than two decades. Reclaiming the tree also means to liberate it from all assumptions, contexts and associations with its multiple fictional realities, and to let it become nature again - a subject of its own.
But are we able to let the tree go, to free it from our ludicrous reality game? Or will we forever be reclaiming it and imposing our titles in our thrive for extended meaning?
In the game „Now I am here, Now I am not, Now you are there, Now you're not“ we might find something to hold onto. So why not hug the tree, you can call it George or Paula if you want, it feels great.
A simple tree trunk laying there is what you want it to be.

Opening hours: Friday to Sunday, 12 - 5 pm
Opening: Saturday, 12 July, 3 pm

For support we thank: