Churches have always been places of art, regardless of their function in consolidating power. And why should the beautiful ethereal forms only dwell at an unreachable height and hardly be noticed? That is why I have sought a form that facilitates a confrontation at eye level.
The sculptures in the Kirchenwäldchen (church grove) on the grounds of the Torgau 2022 State Garden Show tell in their own unique way about the beauty and timelessness of art.
They are inspired by the centuries-old floral elements of the stained glass windows in the town church of St. Mary in the heart of the city of Torgau. In doing so, they pick up on the color tone and original design of the stained glass windows and playfully transport the motifs back into public space.
The light shines through the stained glass windows, giving the colors their brilliance and a hint of the supernatural, sublime holiness. The sculptures deliberately contrast with this in a simple, almost childlike language of form and aim to stimulate the imagination and the viewer’s own engagement with the artistic heritage of the church space.
Installation Paradiesblumen. detail, 2022. Image courtesy Maja Frank. 
Installation Paradiesblumen. detail, 2022.
The flowers are made from the wood of fallen trees from the church cemetery of Torgau. Originally framed by leaded glass and thus clearly separated from each other, the color areas are distinguished in the sculpture here by different heights.
The stems are made of sturdy yet flexible bamboo. With a simple striped pattern, they transform the framing ribbon ornament of the respective church windows into a corresponding visual form within the sculpture.
concept: Ivo Zibulla
creation: Ignaz Heinroth, Ivo Zibulla
Installation Paradiesblumen. detail, 2022. 
Installation Paradiesblumen. detail, 2022.
A few pictures of the creation process.
Material 
color studies and protoyping 
basic shapes of the buds are carved out of the wood 
the buds are sanded and colored up to four times until the appropriate color hue is reached 
paint is applied up to three times on the bamboo stems until the desired shade is achieved
Interested in more installation projects? Check out the pixel intervention at Europes biggest coal mine or temporary sculptures in the performance project Leuchte mal hier her!