memento Prunus mahaleb, 2022, installation with sound, 43:18 min., language: german
Walbersdorf, once the center of the mahaleb cherry cultivation. The story of the village and especially that of the family of the last the mahaleb cherry farmer in Austria is told by a single mahaleb cherry branch, whose purpose would have been a walking stick, umbrella handle or pipe. Now reconstructed, this mahaleb cherry branch with its reddish shimmering wood, seems to grow on. Sorrounded by young green mahaleb cherry plants, it presents its leaves, bringing moments of the past into the present. Erwin Lang, other family members and futher participants are talking of labor as identity – from obligations to failures to opportunities. Their voices bring this installation to life and share their memories with visitors to KUGA’s 40th anniversary exhibition.
