"I have used the residency here in Berlin to focus in-depth on producing a significant body of new work that engages with history in relation to the social and cultural histories of a particular group of trees. These trees were given to gold medallists at the Berlin 1936 Olympic Games. Often said to have been given by Hitler and often referred to as 'Hitler Oaks', the then seedlings, were in fact given by the Olympic committee to around 130 medalists who then returned to their homes all over the world - in most cases with the seedlings.
One of these trees, now an adult oak, grows in my home town of Timaru, New Zealand, in the grounds of Timaru Boys High School. This tree became the centrepiece of my enquiry and represented a beginning point of this project when I photographed it in 2005…"
From the artist's statement for the exhibition before today is tomorrow / vor gestern ist morgen - more…
Installation view, Starkwhite
Installation view, Starkwhite
Installation view, Starkwhite
Seedling reproduced as a page work in Enjoy Gallery's
10 year anniversary publication
Seedling, Jack Lovelock's Olympic Oak (These trees were awarded at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and are sometimes also called 'Hitler Oaks'), Timaru Boys' High School, Timaru, New Zealand. Featured in Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia, Lovelock set a new world record and won gold in what some regard as one of the finest 1500m Olympic finals of all time. Having lived in Britain as a Rhodes Scholar since 1931, Lovelock entrusted his seedling into the care of teammate Ces Matthews to deliver it home to New Zealand. By the time it arrived it was in poor condition but was nursed back to health and in 1941 was planted at Timaru Boys' High School. 2 x C-type prints 1214x1520mm each, 2005-2010. Part of the ongoing series in a forest.
Seedling, George Miez's Olympic Oak (These trees were awarded at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and are sometimes also called 'Hitler Oaks'), Winterthur, Switzerland. Little information concerning George Miez has been uncovered. He won Switzerland's only gold in 1936 for the Men's Floor Exercises in Gymnastics. One article suggests that at another time he was also a personal trainer in Hollywood to Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. The same article notes that at the time of his death in 1999 (aged 107) much was made of Miez's refusal at the 1936 games to honor the fascist salute, though it goes on to add that footage of the games shows many others did the same. 2 x C-type prints 1214x1520mm each, 2011. Part of the ongoing series in a forest.
Seedling, Toni Merkens's Olympic Oak (These trees were awarded at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and are sometimes also called 'Hitler Oaks'), Velodrome, Köln, Germany. Toni Merkens won his gold medal for cycling in the men's 1000m match sprint event. His oak is standing, in what is now a carpark, next to Köln's velodrome and stadium. As yet little further information is available about this oak and its recipient though internet sources indicate that Merkens was killed in World War II on the Eastern Front. 2 x C-type prints 1214x1520mm each, 2011. Part of the ongoing series in a forest.
Seedling, Cornelius Johnson's Olympic Oak (These trees were awarded at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and are sometimes also called 'Hitler Oaks'), backyard, Koreatown, Los Angeles, United States of America. Growing in what was probably the back yard of the athlete's mother. Difficult to find, this tree was mentioned in a Los Angeles Times article dated 2007. Cornelius Johnson received one of several gold medals won by African Americans at the games. 2 x C-type prints 1214x1520mm each, 2011. Part of the ongoing series in a forest.
Seedling, Unknown Athlete/s' Olympic Oak #1 (These trees were awarded at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and are sometimes also called 'Hitler Oaks'), Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands. By the canal behind the stadium, this is one of a pair of oaks, growing side by side that were most likely awarded to the swimming relay team of Rie Mastenbroek, Willy den Ouden, Tini Wagner, and Jopie Selbach and to Nida Senff, also a swimmer. Both of these oaks are currently unmarked though historic photos show small intricate round wrought iron fences protecting them. Rie Mastenbroek also received two other oaks in the 100 and 400 metres freestyle and these were given to the Rotterdam Zoo. According to one source, both of these "died during the awful bombardment by the German Luftwaffe". 2 x C-type prints 1214x1520mm each, 2011. Part of the ongoing series in a forest.
Seedling, Unknown Athlete/s' Olympic Oak #2 (These trees were awarded at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and are sometimes also called 'Hitler Oaks'), Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands. By the canal behind the stadium, this is one of a pair of oaks, growing side by side that were most likely awarded to the swimming relay team of Rie Mastenbroek, Willy den Ouden, Tini Wagner and Jopie Selbach and to Nida Senff, also a swimmer. Both of these oaks are currently unmarked though historic photos show small intricate round wrought iron fences protecting them. Rie Mastenbroek also received two other oaks in the 100 and 400 metres freestyle and these were given to the Rotterdam Zoo. According to one source, both of these "died during the awful bombardment by the German Luftwaffe". 2 x C-type prints 1214x1520mm each, 2011. Part of the ongoing series in a forest.
Seedling, Louis Hostin's Olympic Oak (These trees were awarded at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and are sometimes also called 'Hitler Oaks'), Parc de l'Europe, St. Etienne, France. According to one source this tree was moved around 1945 from Montmartre Cemetery, where it was discovered mysteriously growing over a German soldier's grave, eventually making its way to the park in St. Etienne. 2 x C-type prints 1214x1520mm each, 2011. Part of the ongoing series in a forest.
Seedling, Willi Kaiser's Olympic Oak (These trees were awarded at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and are sometimes also called 'Hitler Oaks'), Gladbeck Stadium, Gladbeck, Germany. In his book on the Olympic Oaks, James Constandt states that the planting of this tree was delayed by 12 years, due in part to Willi being in a Russian prison. Later, apparently in the face of neglect and disinterest from the Gladbeck City Council, Willi spent the last 14 years of his life caring for his monument himself. He died in 1986. By 1992 the bronze plaque under the tree had completely corroded away and Willi's son began negotiations with the Mayor to arrange a replacement. When this image was made there was a new marble plaque under the tree. 2 x C-type prints 1214x1520mm each, 2011. Part of the ongoing series in a forest.
Metadata, artist publication. First published on the
occassion of the exhibition in a forest at Starkwhite.
Design by Duncan Munro at Lucky Stairs
Metadata, artist publication. First published on the
occassion of the exhibition in a forest at Starkwhite.
Design by Duncan Munro at Lucky Stairs
Metadata, artist publication. First published on the
occassion of the exhibition in a forest at Starkwhite.
Design by Duncan Munro at Lucky Stairs
Metadata, artist publication. First published on the
occassion of the exhibition in a forest at Starkwhite.
Design by Duncan Munro at Lucky Stairs
Metadata, artist publication. First published on the
occassion of the exhibition in a forest at Starkwhite.
Design by Duncan Munro at Lucky Stairs
Metadata, artist publication. First published on the
occassion of the exhibition in a forest at Starkwhite.
Design by Duncan Munro at Lucky Stairs
Metadata, artist publication. First published on the
occassion of the exhibition in a forest at Starkwhite.
Design by Duncan Munro at Lucky Stairs
Metadata, artist publication. First published on the
occassion of the exhibition in a forest at Starkwhite.
Design by Duncan Munro at Lucky Stairs