4 December 2023

Vienna X-Mas View: Heidi Horten Collection presented this year's Christmas tree, the sculpture 'Weihnachtsbaum' by Tillmann Kaiser

Austrian artist Tillmann Kaiser's Christmas tree sculpture was presented to the public today at the Heidi Horten Collection. The artwork 'Weihnachtsbaum' is composed of rhythmic folds that interweave like an 'above' and 'below' such as introduced today on Instagram - as if to show the interconnectedness of heaven and earth, or space and earth. In the middle of the folds, which express a dynamic like wings that could start moving at any moment, is a mirrored glass body, while a wire spiral hangs from the top and protrudes into the form. The press release does not provide a more detailed interpretation of the artwork. It's up to the viewers to get inspired by the sculpture for own thoughts about Christmas. Some may interpret the mirrors as a symbol of the universe as a reflection of God, the spiral as an umbilical cord indicating that all life on earth originated from the debris of outer space, or associate the cord with the birth of Jesus Christ celebrated at Christmas.

This year's Christmas tree continues the series of commissioned works that began last year with the installation 'Under the Weight of Light' by Manfred Erjautz. It is announced that every year, contemporary artists will be invited to present their respective interpretations of the classic Christmas tree. Tillmann Kaiser's Christmas tree will be on view from December 4, 2023 to February 2, 2024. A short video on Instagram shows the installation of the artwork in the museum.

Images, from left: The motif of the Christmas card of the Heidi Horten Collection is a draft of the sculpture 'Weihnachtsbaum' by Tillmann Kaiser, commissioned by the Heidi Horten Collection. Middle: Creation of the sculpture 'Weihnachtsbaum' in the artist's studio. Right: Austrian artist Tillmann Kaiser standing next to his sculpture 'Weihnachtsbaum' in the Heidi Horten Collection in Vienna. Photos: Heidi Horten Collection / © Tillmann Kaiser.