Contemplace: Verena Weninger's Environmental Art Sculpture at Vienna's Botanical Garden

Contemplace is an environmental art installation by Verena Weninger, created using plant parts from the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna. The sculpture engages in a dialogue with the garden's flora, highlighting the processes of decomposition and reuse within the garden's historical context.

The exhibition 'Contemplace' features environmental artist Verena Weninger engaging in a dialogue with the plant world of the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna. Weninger utilizes discarded plant parts from the garden's processing, reassembling them into a temporary sculpture. This work was presented at the vernissage on October 17, 2019, in the Nadelgehölzsammlung (Conifer Collection). The Botanical Garden, housing approximately 11,500 plant species primarily for research and education, also serves as a source of inspiration for art, particularly environmental art. Weninger's approach avoids a purely romantic portrayal, instead referencing new perspectives on the utilization and processing of plants in a historic garden, where processes like cutting and composting are often unseen by visitors. Weninger's sculpture sheds light on the Botanical Garden's dynamic history since its founding in 1754, a period marked by constant change in its plant collection and layout. The artwork makes visible processes that typically remain hidden, ultimately reflecting on the fragility of human existence and potentially leading to a more liberated perspective on perceived disorder and wilderness. Weninger's artistic background includes Landscape Design and Site-Specific Art from the University of Applied Arts, preceded by training as a florist and national park ranger. Her previous works have been shown in various exhibitions, and this exhibition marks a return to the garden where she participated in a group exhibition as a student in 2012.

Entry to the vernissage was free. The sculpture is on display in the Nadelgehölzsammlung as long as it withstands the weather. Further support was provided by the 3rd district of Vienna.