As a part of the exhibition design course, we collaborated with Fellbach City Museum to create an exhibition model. Our goal was to visually represent poems about flowers or useful plants as part of the Remstal Garden Exhibition in 2019.
— University project + Project realization at a museum
The poem didn't have anything nice to say about the dahlia, so we went the opposite way and showcased it in bright, cheerful colors. We used projectors and digital filters to light up the flower in pastel colors. Then we put the negative words from the poem on the petals to make a strong contrast with the beauty of the flower. Each negative word affected the color of the light shining on the Dahlia.
Since May 2019, this exhibit has been at Fellbach City Museum for a period of five months. People can look at it and think about it.
The project was shown in a German museum, so the poem and the explanation are both in German language.
Eine Dahlie
Du Buhlin mit der harten Brust, dem dunklen Blick, der träg sich öffnet, so wie der von einem Stier, dein großer Leib erglänzt wie neuen Marmors Zier.
Du dralle Blume, duftlos sein ist dein Geschick, die reine Schönheit deines Leibs will überborden, wie überladen mit zu herrlichen Akkorden.
Du riechst selbst nicht nach Fleisch, dem starken Duft,der jenen zumindest entströmt, die Heu umwenden und sich dehnen. Du thronst, Idol; umsonst möcht' dir der Weihrauch dienen.
So mag die Dahlie, diese Königin, umgeben von Pracht, ganz ohne Stolz, ihr duftlos Haupt erheben, erregend mitten unter reizenden Jasminen.
Paul Verlaine
We started by making a 3D model to get an idea of what the Dahlia would look like. Then, we used a 3D printer to make the inside of the flower for the petals.
The Dahlia was made completely by hand. We began by printing the outline of the petals using a plotter and then cutting them out one by one. Then, we rolled them up and glued them in the right order into the separate openings of the 3D model base.
In the museum, the dahlia was displayed beneath a projector. This projector beamed light onto the dahlia. The light switched colors whenever a negative word was read in the poem, and the dahlia glowed in a new shade.
This project was an experience that inspired me in many ways. One of the most amazing moments I had was seeing my project displayed in the museum. It was great to work with both the museum and university on planning and organizing. It helped me learn a lot about communication and project management. I learned a lot from working with the museum experts and professors at the university.
Another highlight of my project was getting the chance to go behind the scenes. This gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of the entire process of creating an exhibition. All in all, my project not only let me display my creative work to an audience but also gave me valuable insights into the world of museum work.
All in all, my project not only let me show my creative work to an audience, but also gave me useful insights into the world of museum work.
During my university days, managing an external project was tough, but it was a great opportunity to strengthen my time management skills. It was a good learning experience that helped me to work more efficiently.
Calculating the price of a project was new for both me and my project partner. With the support of our professor, we learned how to set the price. This taught me what to consider and how prices are determined.
Another challenge was cutting, rolling, and gluing so many petals onto the 3D model. Good music playing in the background and coffee helped us get through it. It felt wonderful to see what we did and know that our hard work paid off.
HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd,
Course: Exhibition Design 2018
Team: Nadine Bartel,
Anastasia Judt
HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd in coperate with Fellbach Stadt Museum, edited version and exhibition 2019
