Installation

A Space Becomes a Forest of Light

BIRCHES & LIGHT transforms the exhibition space into a silent, breathing forest of light - an experiential space between nature, fragility, and technical precision. Fine fibre optics permeate delicate woven structures made of white filament yarn. Supported by a transparent mesh structure, they begin to glow - not uniformly, but vibrantly. Light travels through the material, emerging in unexpected places and forming floating, corporeal structures in the space.

The light objects appear like fragile beings - half nature, half light - making the space not only visible but also tangible.

Real birch trunks and leaves are an integral part of the installation. They support and connect the installations while simultaneously structuring the space. Sometimes they stand individually like silent sentinels, sometimes they appear as a triad, or they connect wall segments. This creates a spatial choreography between organic nature and deliberate placement. Together with the gentle sounds of nature, an atmosphere unfolds between density and openness – a place that slows down perception and directs our gaze to the fleeting nature of light.

Light as origin and artistic material

Light is far more than a physical phenomenon. It is a source of energy, the basis of life, and the carrier of atmosphere. Albert Einstein described light as a puzzle that occupied him throughout his life. For me, light is both a scientific phenomenon and a poetic material.

With BIRCHES & LIGHT, I explore this field of tension: light as intangible matter, as movement, and as a force that shapes space and perception. In this context, BIRCHES & LIGHT examines the phenomenon of light as an artistic material and as the origin of life.

The presentation of the installation at the BID - Biennale Internazionale Donna near Trieste also marks an important step in making Austrian light art visible within the European context.

The satellite project “The Bohemian Life Lies by the Sea” presents fifteen Austrian perspectives within an international dialogue. Curated by Marlene Elvira Steinz, it creates a space for reflection in Sistiana/Trieste, where artistic works explore questions of identity, vulnerability, femininity, and agency.

ATARA/Heike Stuckstedde's participation was supported by the Austrian Cultural Forum Milan.

www.bidartbiennale.com