Airy Trees
In this series I explore how trees—age-old symbols of life and growth—take on a new form through pneumatic techniques. Their crowns are not made of leaves, but of elastic, inflatable volumes that fill and deflate with air.
These artificial trees respond to presence, breathe in a winter landscape, or grow and fade in a slowed rhythm. They imitate nature, but in an artificial and stylized way. In doing so, the trees not only reveal the beauty of change, but also expose the fragility of our relationship with nature: we long for greenery, even when it is technically constructed.
Transformations
2018 - Artificial Pains of Growth
In this 3D animation, a pneumatic tree emerges in a natural environment. Its trunk and branches are composed of metal tubes, to which elastic, inflatable volumes are attached. Driven by air, the canopy slowly swells and deflates, like a tree that grows and sheds its leaves.
The tree is a visualization of an idea: an artificial construct that imitates the cycle of natural growth.
2020 – Longing for the Summer Lane
On either side of an avenue in a winter landscape stand trees whose crowns are constantly shifting in volume. They seem to breathe, appearing green and full of life, as if summer has just begun.
A man—the artist himself—walks through the work. It is precisely in the cold, barren setting that the installation gains its greatest power: the contrast with winter evokes an intense longing for summer.
2020 – The Presence Tree
The Presence Tree is an artificial tree with a canopy of inflatable volumes. When no one is nearby, the tree remains bare. Only in the presence of people does its crown fill with air and unfold into lush foliage. Once the visitors leave, the volumes slowly deflate again.