Similar to objects, air circulates among us, always intertwined in relational dynamics—what one person exhales, a tree may absorb, and so on, forming a continuous exchange from airplane filters to human lungs. This interplay of interconnectedness extends to Ornamenta’s summer period, where a black felted ball travels through the outdoors of the Northern Black Forest.
Artist Yvonne Dröge Wendel has devised a larger-than-human-sized ball that is seamlessly covered in black felt. The object is shared with the public and thrives on performative interaction with the people it encounters. The ball sparks situations and narratives as it travels through villages and cities, inviting people to participate. Stories unfold spontaneously, influenced by the empathy and attitudes of people who want to get involved. From Maulbronn to Freudenstadt, every Saturday a different community in the region is surprised by a visit of the public artwork on the roll.
The “Black Ball” lacks inherent meaning and function. It serves as a trigger between people and their surroundings. It is not about the beauty of the public artwork itself, but about the beauty of the actions that the object brings about. Ornamenta visitors and passerbyers will find the large matte orb situated amidst forested landscapes, timber-framed historic villages, and typical Baden-Württemberg fields.
The "Black Ball" in the Northern Black Forest is a collaboration with artists Johanna Heilig, Franziska Lyon, Justus Lietzke and Kosmas Dinh (alumni of University Pforzheim).