Baumfragmente

For the series “Baumfragmente”, Ruben Maria did not have to search extensively for material – he found it right in front of his studio. A resident online shipping business uses a large number of cardboard boxes for shipping purposes. These boxes are frequently returned by customers, and Maria uses said boxes for “Baumfragmente”. The recyclables are refigured as construction material, and various procedures transformed and underlined the original matter, making the material graspable. Through Maria’s work, the artist negates the cardboard’s usual cycle of life and showcases how themes of recycling are entangled with the promise of sustainability in consumer societies. The scarred surface as well as the taupe construction material are reminiscent of ancient tree trunks and withered bark. Seemingly, cardboard has found its way home, as it returns, through translation and configuration, to an original wooden form.