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Planetary Forest

Planetary Forest

Planetary Forest

The participatory artwork Planetary Forest: Bring the Forest into the Garden refers to the scientific and cultural construction of worlds. Placed on a free-standing green area next to the newly built greenhouses of the Botanical Garden Giessen, the regional forest soil is relocated and recreated as a living sculpture. The planetary material originates from an ecological disturbance area in the city forest of Rosbach vor der Höhe, Hesse, which was severely affected by forest dieback. The supposedly natural forest is carried into the human-made world of the botanical garden. There, it serves as an element of ethical, aesthetic, ecological, and political disruption that raises awareness for forest dieback and showcases the artificiality of our conception of nature. Like a crack in the perfectly constructed reality, the artwork sparks discussions on the harmful impacts of climate change and human societies on local forests, reflected on in a planetary context.

We cordially invite you all to visit the living work of art and send dated photos to . Experience the Rosbacher City Forest in the Botanical Garden Giessen!

A project by Dr. Claudia Hartl, Mathias Kessler, and Clemens Finkelstein; Fellows at the Panel on Planetary Thinking of the Justus-Liebig-University Giessen

With the kind support of the Botanical Garden Giessen, Neuer Kunstverein Giessen e.V., and the city Rosbach vor der Höhe