Manolo Ty
geboren 1985 in Hagen/Westf., lebt und arbeitet in Berlin
born in 1985 in Hagen (Westphalia) Germany, lives and works in Berlin
The Fear of Losing the Shades of Green
2011
Farbfotografien, 177-teilig Color photographs, 175 parts
175 jeweils 9 x 13 / 13 x 9 cm each, 2 jeweils 30 x 20 cm each, Installationsmaße variabel Installation dimensions variable
The Fear of Losing the Shades of Green
Consisting of 177 original, numbered & signed photographies.
175 of them are 9x13cm in size, 2 are 20x30cm in size.
77 different nature photographies, and 100 times a close-up picture of a leave.
All pictures are part of the Selection Shades of Green by Manolo Ty.
77 photographies have been applied to a tree with more then 50 cm in diameter. In thus way the lower trunk served as a kind of frame and exhibition space. To this 100 photographies of a leaf (in close-up) have been arranged around the tree.
The chosen tree is a magnificent object by itself – a tall & old German oak. It stands free in the park Hasenheide in the centre of Berlin. During the art project the tree was not fenced or marked as an object of art. There has been no signs or explanation attached to it. Everybody who walked by did this by chance and was confronted with an unusal piece of art in an unsual environment.
The art work The Fear of Losing the Shades of Green consists of three levels:
The first level are the single photographies itselves showing the beauty of nature („Fine Art Photography“).
The second level of the artwork is the installation using the tree and its surrounding ground as exhibition space („Art Installation“).
The third level is the interaction of the installation with its spectators („Process art“).
Describing my intention of the first & second level I wanted to mix the photography of nature with nature itself. I think it is an obscure sight to see e.g. a photograph of a leaf next to a real leaf covering the grass surrounding a tree. People have to think. Is this the future? Printed leaves of a digital file!
But the more thrilling part of the project was the interaction with the people. I had an idea what would happen and I wanted to bring a message across due to this. But I could not know if people would behave like I thought or everything would go in a total different direction.
My idea was to show the disappearance of nature due to the greed of gain by the human race.
The natural ressources have been depicted by the single art works – the nature photographies. The physical art work have been also representing a financial investment for many in the contemporary art world . And so the capitalistic greed of the people was represented by the act of stealing the artworks (natural ressources) and destroying the installation (mother earth) as a whole by getting a piece just for themselves instead of sharing it with others. I have to note that the installation was put up in a public space freely accessible for everyone.
My plan was to leave the installtion behind and see what happens in the following days.
The reality went further than I would have imagined. The first spectators came soon. And at first the installation got treated respectfully. People came and looked. Sometimes turned the pictures to see what it was and if there was a description. But the just found a number and a signature. Then the first people started taking one or two pieces of the photographies that have been shared around the trunk. And after the first photography got accidently blown of the tree people started ripping single photographies of the tree. Soon later a group of middle and older aged men picked the spot of the tree as a base for their Boccia game. Apperently they did to know how to order this strange photography prints hanging at a tree and lying around into any category. They started looking at it once in a while. Some kicked the pieces on the ground around. Then they started to rip pieces of and throw them away. They always returned. Each time looking again at it while talking to each other and having a break from their game. Then they started using the tree as their rubbish place throwing all empty bottles and wastes on the leaf pictures around the trunk. Other spectators still came looking. Often wondering about the pictures, but also the group of men. Finally some of the men started lighting up the first photographies on the wall after discussing about them. And this was just what happened in the first hours after putting up the installation. I think I do not have to tell more.
Is this the way we tread the nature? Is this the way to tread something that we do not understand?
Sadly the answer is YES. We are not just stealing from Mother Earth. We are sometimes also just destroying nature with no reasons. We have to stop this. Think about it!
Manolo Ty
