These yew hedges. Aren’t they something? This is Less Sauvage than Others a sculpture by Rosemarie Trockel. It’s more than just plants. It’s a carefully crafted artwork. It sits on the northwestern shore of the Aasee next to the Tormin Bridge.
Imagine the scene. It’s 2006. The artist Rosemarie Trockel has a vision. She wants to create something unique something that interacts with nature. She chooses yew bushes. She plants them six months before the 2007 sculpture project. She needs them to grow strong and large enough for her vision.
The result? Two massive yew hedges. They stand about four and a half meters high seven meters long and three and a half meters wide. She shapes them into rectangular blocks slightly asymmetrical. The surfaces are cut to incline inwards. A narrow passage runs between the blocks. You can actually walk through the sculpture.
Trockel carefully considered the placement of Less Sauvage than Others. The dark green of the yews echoes the weathered facades of the high-rise buildings across the lake. The hedges evoke the feel of traditional sculptures carved from wood or stone.
But Less Sauvage than Others is more than just a static piece. It’s a living breathing artwork. The yews grow. Their branches proliferate. The form subtly changes over time. Regular trimming maintains Trockel’s design. A private patron funds this ongoing maintenance ensuring the sculpture’s longevity.
The title Less Sauvage than Others highlights the contrast between nature’s untamed growth and the controlled shaping of the hedges. The sculpture represents stasis a controlled counterpoint to the natural world’s dynamism. Yet the yews’ very nature ensures a slow constant evolution. Less Sauvage than Others is a testament to this fascinating interplay between human intervention and the persistent force of nature. It’s a place where art and nature intertwine beautifully. It’s a must-see in Münster.