Waidmannsdank, 2023
Cast Zink
130cm x 70cm x 45cm & 110cm x 50cm x 40cm
In the 19th century Schloss und Gut Liebenberg was a private estate and location for stately hunting excursions including those of Kaiser Wilhelm II. In the south-east corner of the property there was an ordinate gate which opened up to the estate‘s hunting revier. On top of this gate sat two elk sculptures made of cast zinc and adorned the bases of gateposts. During the Second World War, these sculptures were damaged and eventually taken down.
Since the end of the war the bases of gateposts lay empty. Waidmannsdank takes the history of the hunting excursions at Liebenberg and the elk sculptures at the former gate as an starting point to reactivate the stone bases.
The work consists of two zinc cast sculptures in the form of elk pelts draped over bases of the field stone gateposts. The title “Waidmannsdank” is German and refers to a thankful reply of a hunter to someone who wished wished them “Waidmannsheil” (a greeting among hunters and something akin to “good hunting”). The work recalls the history of the former gate to the hunting grounds in the Liebenberger Bruch and addresses the topic of sustainablity in relation to animals.
Cast Zink
130cm x 70cm x 45cm & 110cm x 50cm x 40cm
In the 19th century Schloss und Gut Liebenberg was a private estate and location for stately hunting excursions including those of Kaiser Wilhelm II. In the south-east corner of the property there was an ordinate gate which opened up to the estate‘s hunting revier. On top of this gate sat two elk sculptures made of cast zinc and adorned the bases of gateposts. During the Second World War, these sculptures were damaged and eventually taken down.
Since the end of the war the bases of gateposts lay empty. Waidmannsdank takes the history of the hunting excursions at Liebenberg and the elk sculptures at the former gate as an starting point to reactivate the stone bases.
The work consists of two zinc cast sculptures in the form of elk pelts draped over bases of the field stone gateposts. The title “Waidmannsdank” is German and refers to a thankful reply of a hunter to someone who wished wished them “Waidmannsheil” (a greeting among hunters and something akin to “good hunting”). The work recalls the history of the former gate to the hunting grounds in the Liebenberger Bruch and addresses the topic of sustainablity in relation to animals.
© Joshua Zielinski - 2024