As part of the group exhibition “Collapse is not a destination, it is a process” a one-day workshop was held with a fourth-grade class from the Leinebergschule in Göttingen. On August 21, the fifteen nine-year-old children explored climate change through art, focusing in particular on the forest ecosystem, to which a separate section of the exhibition was dedicated.

The day began with a tour of the exhibition, during which the students explored connections between the works and thus encountered the exhibition’s themes.

Together with their teacher, Jasmin Haubrock, the elementary school students explored age-appropriate materials, forms, and artistic approaches to the climate crisis, tying in with the school’s social studies curriculum.
They then continued their work in the KAZ studio under the guidance of Paula Sander. Using charcoal attached to branches, they drew tree canopies on Göttingen’s city wall, exploring the scale of human and nature in relation to one another. Inspired by Andreas Greiner’s video “Abschied (Harz),” they then created their own forest: Outside, they collected natural materials such as pinecones, ferns, and moss and wove them into chicken wire. A wide variety of self-designed animals and plants also found their way into the three-dimensional collage.

These hands-on experiences with the materials fostered a creative exploration of the forest as an ecosystem worthy of protection and as a natural space that can be directly experienced within an urban setting.