the forest

Odenwald 1152 / 2007-2009

Odenwald 1152, the second series in Ricardo Mazal’s Trilogy, is a unique cemetery site in Germany’s Black Forest. The deceased’s ashes are buried at the base of a tree and allowed to nourish its roots. Whole families have plots here, and the concept of a peaceful reintegration of the physical body back into the natural world is beautifully realized. Mazal’s paintings in this series reflect the forest, the canopy of leaves and branches, and the strong verticals of tree trunks that he observed and photographed at the site. A meditation on mortality and the nature of natural cycles permeates these powerful paintings.

Pictured below is the tree gifted to Mazal by then mayor of Michelstadt, Germany.

Ricardo Mazal Photograph of OD 1152, 2007

photographs

Artist in studio painting Odenwald 1152 No. 17, 2008 Oil on Linen 98.5 x 157.5 inches

selected works

Video