TWIGGLY TWIG

(Katrin Hahner, Video 3.56 min - 2025)

"Twiggly Twig" is an audiovisual meditation that captured a “conversation” between the author and a Downy Birch (Betula pubescens). By recording and altering its electrical currents during the midnight hours of June 6th in a birch orchard in Freyjulundur, North Iceland a sonic image was created. Additional to the “voice” of the tree, we hear actress Cathleen Baumann speak the poem that was written after the encounter with the tree. The video footage was conceived in various locations in Iceland and in the air on a flight to or from the island.

The work delves into the rich cultural and spiritual significance of the birch, a tree symbolically linked to femininity, prophecy, and renewal, resonant with mythical figures like Freyja. Its dual gender catkins and wind-pollinated nature emphasize a close relationship with its environment and bees, fostering stories of land, sky, and life’s interconnectedness. Their substance is used for toys, coffins, rope, paper, magical tools, shelter and even food and medicine. Witches brooms were traditionally made from birchwood and birch twigs are believed to fend off evil spirits and offer cleansing and protection.Their sap and other components have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral and many more medicinal effects. Although birch might appear fragile, she is nothing but strong and versatile.

Through this visual and sonic journey, Katrin Hahner invites viewers into a dialogue with the birch spirit and the land itself, revealing the tree’s multifaceted role from protector, pioneer tree and healer to a symbol of resilience and versatility. The altered electrical sounds evoke the unseen energies coursing through the birch, emphasizing its function within Icelandic tradition and nature.

"Twiggly Twig" is a poetic description of the bond between humans and trees, blending ecological awareness with spiritual reverence and the “voice” of the tree.

Text: Katrin Hahner

Speaker: Cathleen Baumann

Voice Recording: Tonstudio Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus

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