Trafögl (Clover) - Ardez, Switzerland, 2014
Commissioned work (kunst und bau) by se-Architekten (Ilona Schneider, Michel Eigensatz).
Along the walls of the staircase of one of two newly built apartement houses I inserted names of flowers in the rumantsch vallader which is the vernacular language of the valley engiadina bassa in the canton of Grisons.
The staircase is fully built in concrete and it will remain unpainted. The names of the flowers are written in different sizes and have been placed in different positions throughout the staircase. They are now visible as reliefs.
The realization of the project has been done simultaneously with the casting of the staircase.
Statement:
In Switzerland since the eigthies every second 1m2 of land vanishes for Construction and every 6th minute a free standing tree gets cut.
(Source: BAFU, Bundesamt für Umwelt, Thema: Landschaft / Zustand und Veränderung)
Following names of flowers have been used:
- negla da crap (german: Steinnelke, english: carnation)
- minchületta da prümavaira (german: Krokus, english: crocus)
- parasulin (german: Gewöhnlicher Frauenmantel, english: lady’s mantle)
- lat stria (german: (Zypressen-)Wolfsmilch, english: cypress spurge)
- Trafögl (german: Klee, english: clover, trefoil)
- sainin (german: Niedliche Glockenblume, english: fairy’s‑thimble)
- claffa (german: Zottiger Klappertopf, english: greater yellow rattle)
- erba d’or (german: Sonnenröschen, english: rock rose)
- raspacot (german: Gewöhnlicher Natternkopf, english: viper’s bugloss)
- grifla da diavel (german: (ährige) Teufelskralle, english: spiked horned rampion)
- avuostina pitschna (german: Kleiner Augentrost, english: northern eyebright)
Many thanks to:
Ilona Schneider, Michel Eigensatz, Familie Schneider, Theresa Pabst, Beat Birchler and Jon Duri Vital.