Ist der Garten ein Kunstwerk?

摘要

In mid-18th century Germany, garden design was regarded as a Gesamtkunstwerk, as a synthesis of all the arts, and of greater significance than architecture and landscape art. This state of affairs was changed by the Romantic movement, which confused depictions of nature with the real thing. The gardens of the time came to be regarded as totally artificial and hypocritical, with the result that garden design was downgraded to below the other art, and has more or less remained in this lowly position ever since. This now seems to be changing. In view of the current international surge of garden design symposia, land art happenings and garden exhibitions, the issue of garden design as an art form is becoming increasingly topical. In the landscape architecture profession, attempts are being made to explore the frontiers to related disciplines as a way of determining and rediscovering the essential qualities of landscape design. As a consequence, exciting and instructive experiments are taking place, although many are characterised by a lack of critical distance to the neighbouring discipline. This is proved by the ubiquitous earth pyramids and plant drawings, which are frequently devoid of any serious preoccupation with the landscape or garden design issues involved. This damages the credibility of such interdisciplinary approaches, and it does not enhance perception of the qualities of the designed and natural environment, nor does it advance the cause of garden design an art form.%Künstler entdecken den Garten. Künstlergärtner sehen sich als legitime Erben der Gartenkünstler und reklamieren die zeitgenössische Gartenkunst für sich. Doch oft ist ihnen die Tradition so fremd wie die Natur fern. Noch Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts hätte man die Frage nach dem Garten als Kunstwerk eindeutig mit „ja" beantwortet und auf das Gesamtkunstwerk des Englischen Landschaftsgartens verwiesen.