THE IDEA

As the largest group of animals, insects are the most important building block for all life on our planet. At the same time, they are the most vulnera-ble group of animals to environmental pollution and climate change. Numerous insect species are threa-tened with extinction and the number of remaining species is declining dramatically year after year.

With the ENTOMON sculpture we want to focus on this elementary, largest and oldest group of animals and thus create monument for biodiversity – here in Germany and worldwide. It has been clear for a long time, that living conditions and habitats must be given (back) to nature and its biodiversity all over the world: for a sustainable and livable coexistence between humans and nature.

ENTOMON sculptures are a visible artistic contribution to this cause. They raise awareness of the topic, provide orientation and strengthen environmental awareness. They are milestones with regional and supra-regional appeal.

THE CONCEPT

With the ENTOMON sculptures, places and areas that are part of sustainable and future-oriented development receive highly visible signs of species protection and sustainability.

These include structural change areas, renaturation and recultivation projects as former opencast mines and industrial areas, urban greening projects and of course designated nature reserves, etc.

ENTOMON sculptures mark places, they connect areas possibly by visual axes, but in any case also through their recognizability when encountered individually in different places.

THE SCULPTURE

The sculpture is a column that tapers upwards, in three parts that form an unified work. In each of the three parts there are three diagonally cut niches, nine segments, which provide a species-appropriate habitat, mainly for insects.

Depending on the location, the local conditions and the orientation of the sculpture, the niches are filled with different materials. Biologists and entomologists involved in the planning of the project are contributing their expertise. The habitat modules are interchangeable and their fastening systems are hidden in the niches.

ENTOMON has a total height of 6.50 meters. At the base the diameter is 0.90 meters and in the upper part 0.72 meters. Two versions are planned: on the one hand made of local woods such as beech, oak, ash, alder and alternatively made of Corten steel.

Both designs contain internal structures for stabilization and anchoring made of steel, which meet the technical specifications of the structural engineers and engineers commissioned.

Even with the external dimensions described and the visually spiraling, dynamic shape, the sculpture has all the qualities of a landmark for biodiversity.

THE TEAM

Born in Santiago de Chile in 1954, Maria Fernandez Ortiz has lived and worked in Germany for 45 years. After studying art history and training at the Art Academy of the Universidad de Chile as well as fur-ther studies at the University of Maryland (USA), the artist took part in numerous exhibitions, commissio-ned works and international prizes in the art scene.

The artist‘s works in public and sacred spaces can be found in countries such as Italy (Vatican), Israel, the USA, Japan, Argentina, Chile and especially in Germany.

The focus of the artist‘s work is the innovative creation, especially of monumental works of art, using old and new techniques of sculpture.

As a creator in the ENTOMON team – Sculpture for Biodiversity – she projects this work of art in public. The preservation and protection of insects and natural biodiversity should, in a certain sense, be brought “monumentally” into general awareness and thus remind us of our shared responsibility.

Since 1991 she has been a member of the Federal Association of Visual Artists (Bundesverband Bilden-der Künstler) and the Cologne Artists‘ Union, KUK (Künstler-Union Köln, KUK) in Germany.

→ mariafernandezortiz.com

The artist Ernesto Marques born in Portugal in 1975, came to Germany as an art student – where he ultimately found his artistic home as a painter and sculptor.

Today he lives and works in Jülich with his family and has become known far beyond the borders of his adopted homeland through his active exhibition activities at home and abroad.

His paintings and sculptures are represented in nu-merous collections. In the Land Art design competition, Landschaftspark Erftaue „Ort der Begegnung”, he and four other artists took first place.

The artistic collaboration with Maria Fernandez Ortiz began in 2022 with the sculpture project ENTOMON.

Ernesto Marques is a member of VG-Bildkunst Bonn. Since 2023 he has been working as a lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Heimbach.

→ ernesto-marques.com

The work of the carpenter and cabinetmaker, Ignacio Fernandez, who was born in Cologne in 1981, is characterized by sophisticated woodwork in sacred art (altars, church elements) and in the area of furniture as art objects.

His expertise and craftsmanship convinced the Rhineland Regional Association (Landschaftsverband Rheinland), among others: Ignacio Fernandez was awarded the contract for restoration work and the reconstruction of a medieval spiral staircase in the listed building. With his craftsmanship and experience, he completes the ENTOMON team.

→ art-holzwerke.de