Tausend Zungen

The artist did not choose a linden by chance. Linden trees were believed to have the power to ward off evil and ill fortune. People were afraid of natural phenomena such as thunder and lightning, and of people with magical powers. To guard against them, they used the protective and purifying powers of linden trees. In combination with the tongues, new meanings arise. Do they represent the protective power of nature, the power of human communication, or something else entirely?

Culture and nature come together in this work. Like the leaves of the tree, the tongues are set in motion by the wind. They seem to contribute to the whispering sound produced by the treetop. Where is the boundary between nature and culture?

German artist Thomas Schütte is one of the most versatile contemporary sculptors. His oeuvre is full of references to pop culture, historical events, and art history. The human condition—the confusing contradictions in ourselves and the world around us—is central to his work. In sculptures that are sometimes hilarious, sometimes serious, Schütte questions our own constantly changing physical and emotional condition.