by Dr. phil. Yola Schmitz
The woods, once shrouded in mystique and promising adventure, have become a complicated space. Manmade interventions and the scars of wars and industry have left their mark, yet wild animals like boars, wolves, and even bears have made their return.
For artist Anna Maja Spiess, the woods are a holy land, a spiritual world long neglected. She saunters through them with purpose, observing, collecting, and contextualizing the objects she finds.
Spiess imbues these objects with the potential and possibility of each given moment, represented by the engraved number 27,000. This number, symbolic of the cube of three and new beginnings, speaks to the spiritual awakening that Spiess seeks to inspire in her audience.
In contrast to the weight of these found objects, Spiess’s sigils offer a strikingly modern interpretation of spirituality. Her light installations embody the most essential human needs, offering guidance, warmth, and belonging in a world that can often feel dark and uncertain.
Guiding the audience through her inner woods and towards the light, Spiess’s exhibition offers a powerful message of hope. Her objects are arranged to reflect their anthropological significance, inviting viewers to reflect on their own role in history. The arrangement of the objects creates a sacral space, a triptych for reflection and meditation.
Despite its gravity, Spiess’s exhibition remains playful, juxtaposing old and new approaches to finding connection with the past and a bright future. It is a reminder that the eternal path we walk is finite, and that we must cherish each moment with hope and reverence.
APRIL 27-29, 2023
2 7 0 0 0 – Anna Maja Spiess at Heike Grossmann Art Advisory
www.heikegrossmann-artadvisory.com
kindly and generously supported by Lallier Champagner
