Borkenkäfer in Windhagen
Windhagen is a local community in the district of Neuwied in northern Rhineland-Palatinate and is located directly on the border with North Rhine-Westphalia. Its many beautiful forested areas are where I often find inspiration for my art.
During my explorations, I have noticed the extensive damage caused by drought and pests to the forests. These pests, known as bark beetles (Borkenkäfer), are one of the most damaging elements in German forests. In Windhagen alone, thousands of trees have been cut down in recent years because of the bark beetle. Their larvae feed on the inner bark of the trees, thus causing immense damage. In the process, they leave behind intricate patterns on the wood.
Even though this situation is destructive and negative, it is hard to overlook the beauty of the "engravings" left by these tiny destructive animals. This inspired me to create a series of photographs that, on the one hand, point out the terrible destruction, but at the same time depict the beauty of these works of natural art.