Klaus Littmann's 'Arena for a Tree' Debuts at Venice Biennale 2024
At the 60th Venice Biennale, Swiss artist Klaus Littmann (born 1951, Basel) unveils 'Arena for a Tree' in conjunction with the event's opening. This installation showcases a 7-meter tall wooden framework that encases a living bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) situated in a water basin, tackling pressing environmental concerns such as global warming and sustainability. The work resonates with the Biennale's overarching theme, 'Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere,' reflecting on migration and identity. Landscape architect Enzo Enea emphasizes the resilience of the tree. 'Arena for a Tree' marks the culmination of a traveling project that started with 'For Forest' in Klagenfurt and continued through Basel and Zurich. Littmann underscores the tree's representation of hope and ecosystem fragility.
Key facts
- Klaus Littmann presents 'Arena for a Tree' at the 60th Venice Biennale
- Installation features a 7-meter-high wooden basket structure with a public tribune
- At center is a living bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) in a water basin
- Work addresses global warming and sustainability
- Connects to Biennale theme 'Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere' via migration and identity
- Bald cypress can pump up to 800 liters of floodwater daily and withstand extreme conditions
- Project is third and final destination of an itinerant series
- Previous iterations included Klagenfurt (2019), Basel (2021), and Zurich (2022)
Entities
Artists
- Klaus Littmann
- Joseph Beuys
- Enzo Enea
Institutions
- Kulturstiftung Basel H. Geiger
- ECC Italy
- Swiss National Museum
- Wörthersee Stadium
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Arsenale Nord
- Basel
- Switzerland
- Klagenfurt
- Austria
- Zurich
- Central America
- South America
- Europe