DÉJEUNER SUR L'HERBE 2025
installation,
photos of endangered flowers
printed on PVC, 448 x 440 cm,
living room table, wood, artificial grass
Shedhalle Zug, 2025
Déjeuner sur l’herbe is an installation that critically examines contemporary society’s relationship with nature. Referencing Édouard Manet’s emblematic painting, the work juxtaposes the artificial constructs of modernity with the diminishing authenticity of natural environments.
The installation consists of a floor piece made from four PVC panels, each bearing the black silhouettes of extinct plant species. Centrally placed, a coffee table covered in synthetic grass becomes a visual metaphor for humanity’s increasing alienation from nature, emphasizing both the vulnerability of life and the accelerating loss of biodiversity.
Employing irony and social critique, the piece utilizes industrial materials to confront pressing ecological themes. The synthetic grass, as a superficial representation of the natural world, critiques the artifice of contemporary experiences, while the portrayal of extinct flora evokes nostalgia and unease over irreversible environmental losses.
By confronting viewers with the tangible reality of ecological degradation, Déjeuner sur l’herbe fosters critical awareness. In an era marked by profound environmental detachment, the work calls for a renewed appreciation of authenticity and sustainability, urging an active re-engagement with the natural world.
Credits: © Kilian Bannwart