Perhaps, at first glance, it appears as if someone simply left a broken tree branch here. But look closer. This is actually Giuseppe Penone’s Progetto Pozzo di M\u00fcnster.
Progetto Pozzo di M\u00fcnster is a thought-provoking sculpture. It blurs the lines between nature and art. The sculpture was created by Italian artist Giuseppe Penone. He is known for his Arte Povera style. This movement uses simple materials to create art.
The sculpture seems like a seven-meter-long bronze branch. It rests casually on a stone. But it is more than just a branch. A cast of Penone’s hand extends from one end. Water flows from the forearm into a grating. The grating is surrounded by paving stones. A pump circulates the water back through the bronze branch. This creates a closed loop.
Giuseppe Penone often explores nature in his work. He is interested in growth and decay. In 1968, he made a sculpture called It Will Continue to Grow Except at That Point. It featured a bronze hand grabbing a young tree. The tree was forced to grow around the hand.
The tree is a recurring theme for Penone. It appears again in Progetto Pozzo di M\u00fcnster. The sculpture was originally installed temporarily in 1987. It became a permanent fixture in 1996. It stood at the H\u00f6rster cemetery which is now a park.
Notice how the water doesn’t just flow randomly. It emerges from the hand imprint. It flows from the fingers into the palm. Then, it runs along the forearm. Finally, it disappears into the ground. The water is collected. It is pumped back up through a well. The well was specifically drilled for this artwork. Penone described the process poetically. He said it is water that has flown underground. It knows the secrets of the Earth.
Sadly, Progetto Pozzo di M\u00fcnster was stolen in March 2022. The LWL-Museum f\u00fcr Kunst und Kultur, which owns the sculpture, reported the theft. Unfortunately, the police investigation didn’t find it. The fountain’s infrastructure was dismantled at the end of 2022. This marked the end of an era for this unique artwork.
The story of Progetto Pozzo di M\u00fcnster reminds us of the connection between humans and nature. It also shows the fragility of art. Even though it is gone, its memory remains. It invites us to think about nature’s processes and hidden secrets.