Witches’ Broom – the Magic Plant of the Druids

On Saturday, 25 May 2024 at 12:30 pm at otte1 we will be discussing a work of video art.

Video art is a very young form of artistic expression that utilises the electronic projection of moving images. The artist’s residency otte1 has been able to acquire the rights for the public presentation of more than 50 video artworks through a grant from the Schleswig-Holstein state government. The selection was made by a jury of experts from Germany and Latvia. Over the next few months, we will draw on this collection from time to time.

First up is the work “Witches’ Broom” by Latvian artist Katrīna Neiburga. She is one of the most outstanding contemporary Latvian artists. She has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Purvitis Prize, and has represented Latvia at the Venice Biennale. The artist uses the camera as a magnifying glass to express her interest in the everyday. By taking a close look at unnoticed or ignored phenomena, she uncovers micro-worlds and makes people, objects, locations and stories visible that would otherwise go untold.

Mistletoe was the magic plant of the druids and is also called the “witches’ broom” in Latvia. At the summer solstice, the head priest cut it from the oak tree with a golden sickle. The mistletoe fell onto a snow-white cloth held by several young people. The plant is a thickening of branches in the crown of a tree resulting from a genetic mutation. Sometimes the diameter of a witches’ broom can reach several meters. According to popular belief, the plant could cure any ailment.

Admission is free.