Panel Discussion
Biennale of Sydney: '7000 Oaks' – Then and Now

The legacy of the Joseph Beuys work lives on

Thu, 10.03.2022
2:00 PM - 16:00 Goethe-Institut, Sydney

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In 1982, a fundamental shift happened in modern art, when Joseph Beuys implemented his famous 7000 Oaks project at Documenta in Kassel, Germany. The artist planted 7,000 trees with accompanying basalt stone columns, one of his last major works and also the most far-reaching: Beuys’ intention was always to extend the project globally.

And indeed, in 1984 the project was brought to the Biennale of Sydney. A single tree was planted with its stone column in front of the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney. The project was commissioned by the Biennale’s Artistic Director Leon Paroissien and planted by René Block as commissioner for Germany. 40 years later, contemporary artists still refer to this work as an inspiration for their practice.

For the 2022 Biennale of Sydney, the Goethe-Institut hosts three artists for a residency at its guest apartment: the German-born, Netherlands-based Diana Scherer and the UK-based duo Ackroyd & Harvey. They all work on large-scale plant-based projects and will discuss the relevance of Beuys’ work for today’s art world.

In addition, the talk will feature Luke Johnson, Principal of Architectus, executive architect of the Sydney Modern, which will incorporate the Beuys tree in its design. The talk will be moderated by curator Felicity Fenner.

The event is part of the opening week of the Biennale of Sydney.

Panelists:

• Diana Scherer (artist)
• Heather Ackroyd (artist)
• Dan Harvey (artist)
• Luke Johnson (architect)
• Felicity Fenner (moderator)

Details:

• Date: Thursday 10th of March 2022
• Time: 2-4pm
• Venue: Goethe-Institut, 90 Ocean Street, Woollahra NSW 2025
• Entry: Free