Joachim Kuhlmann (Germany)

»Ancient Message«

The design of the 6 -9m high rock/tree object incorporate a quote by the philosopher Plotin (205-270 AD) in Chinese and English. The most important conceptual approach for my forest art project is the creation of a suitable association between all artistic elements. The language Plotinus uses to refer to god and the world soul which is both beautiful and poetic:

»God sleeps in the rock,
breathes in plants,
dreams in animals,
and awakes in Man.«
Plotin 205 -270 a. D.

This text is integrated into the pedestal for every visitor to see. The artist perceived the location of his forest art object at Mount Lushan as a spatial reference to the surrounding landscape. Here in the nature park, the tree object with its exposed roots, stem and rock pedestal as well as the bilingual Plotinus text will envelop the visitors in a sensual poetic aura. The prototype of the rock/tree object was installed on the exhibition grounds of the International Forest Art Center in Darmstadt 2009.

CV

1943 born in Leipzig, Germany
Education at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden, Germany, became a master student of Prof. Willi Sitte. Later he was teaching at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden, at the Hochschule für Industrielle Formgestaltung Halle / Burg Giebichenstein and at the Pedagogical University Erfurt in the department Art Pedagogy.

Worked as painter and sculptor in Jena, sculptural works for public spaces, Art Awards of the GDR. Left the GDR and moved to West Germany. Since 1991 he lives and works in Darmstadt.

In 1993 he received the Award of the Heitland Foundation in Celle. In 1998 he was a Visiting Professor at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Bremen. Worked in Japan, Canada und Italy.
In 2002 he was a founding member of the International Forest Art Association in Darmstadt.
In 2009 he and his wife opened the Sculpture Garden of Elisabeth & Joachim Kuhlmann in Darmstadt.

Solo exhibitions: Kunsthalle Darmstadt / Studio, Schlossmuseum Celle, Kulturspeicher Oldenburg, Archäologisches Museum Frankfurt/M., Wilhelm-Hack-Museum Ludwigshafen and was respresented in several galleries and art fairs.