13895 - 13914

Mary is perhaps the woman in the world of whom there are the most paintings, drawings and sculptures; there must be thousands upon thousands. The majority of these images were made by men. Why does the image that is missing stand out among them? At the invitation of the DonnaStage collective, I am developing a site-specific work of art for the Mariendom in Linz. There are two figures of Mary in the eight-meter-long cathedral crib; the first one is kneeling with folded hands next to her child, the second one is carrying it on her lap. I add a third Mary who is giving birth to the child the two other figures are taking care of. The title of the art work crowning refers to both: to the crowning as a part of a coronation but also as the specific phase during birth when the child's head reaches its highest point in the vagina and is surrounded by the vulva like a crown. (crowning, performative object, 2024) (To carve the sculpture crowning after her designs Esther Strauß commissioned Theresa Limberger.)