Himmelsleiter - Pandorra's Boxes I

A baroque-looking figure strides measured steps along the so-called Busserlsallee in Kustemann Park. Behind her are two dozen tin cans attached to her. She climbs the 90 steps that lead to a monument to Saint Nepomuk. There she distributes the tin cans to the guests, filled with a stone and a written message. The can is closed. The spirits are summoned or expelled with rattling cans and incense. Then everyone throws their tin cans down the slope and chooses one at random. Now the cans are opened and the message read. The artist goes into the lake with the two remaining cans and spills paprika and turmeric powder there.

The Kustermannpark was created around the Kustermannvilla of the hardware manufacturer Max Kustermann from 1865. At that time he invited the higher society to stroll around. This is evidenced by the three-level walking paths, which the artist interprets as levels of meaning (spiritual at the top, emotional in the middle and material at the bottom). She acts as an intermediary for the messages of the "gods", in this case the forces of nature associated with shipping, seafaring and water in general . She would like to remind people that from time immemorial man was obliged to ask the gods for goodwill and success before major undertakings. The androcentric view of our lifestyle no longer allows us to invoke higher powers. Because it is precisely this ritual act that gives space for attention and reflection, which contribute to the success of an action and generates a platform on which thanks can also be given if an action is successful. This includes finding ways and means (incense offerings and rattles in our case) to connect with the higher powers. The gods immediately return the favor with a message of wisdom. The ritual performance in the field of art contributes to the participants reflecting without resistance and not taking the happy course of a project for granted, but also to not seeing misfortune (war, pandemic) exclusively in human failure. They can surrender in contemplation surrender which can generate peace and well-being. The positive attitude is manifested in the last two Pandora's Boxes, because they keep the hope and this is given to the water, a vehicle that carries within it the greatest potential for distribution.