How to Kill a Tree

Maria Sturm tries to keep her own carbon footprint in mind and documented the entire emission in the production of the series How to Kill a Tree. The series itself focuses on cement, one of the main causes of greenhouse gases, which constantly surrounds us and which is so quickly forgotten. The manufacturing process of cement is already energy- and CO2-intensive, subsequently it seals the soil due to its impermeability and when the building is demolished, recycling is often not possible due to the composite materials. In her work commissioned for the Biennale für aktuelle Fotografie, Sturm portrays individual stages and components of its production and its architectural manifestations. With an almost cynical gaze, the images roam through landscapes of private living, the construction industry and urban infrastructure and, with an ironic gesture, uncover the absurdities behind our use of this material.