HWK 1918 – 2018

HWK 1918 - 2018 is a contribution to the First World War centennial commemorations. The marquetry shows a view of the Hartmannswillerkopf or Vieil Armand, a rocky outcrop of the Vosges in southern Alsace where particularly deadly fighting took place in 1915. The memorial value of such sites was soon recognised after the war.
The view used for the marquetry scene is an archive photograph from 1918, showing the devastated site as it could be seen in the aftermath of the conflict. The artist used the traditional technique of marquetry as practiced in Charles Spindler's workshops in the early 20th century. Eleven different types of wood are used (walnut, myrtle burl, birch, oak, rosewood, Macassar ebony, plane tree, elm burl, Amboine burl, bluish koto, chestnut). A video made by the artist in 2018 is projected on to this marquetry scene. The video is an unvarying 50-second shot of the Hartmannswillerkopf depicting the site from a fixed viewpoint. Only softly falling snowflakes come to enliven the image.
At first glance, the fact of superimposing the two views gives an impression of calm, with the present-day landscape standing out. However, a closer look reveals the second view. This appears in its full rawness when the video is interrupted, revealing the tragic memorial aspect of this landscape.