Sheaves

The cutting of reed and willow shoots was once an annually recurring scene in the Biesbosch national park. Steven Banken’s project, Sheaves, brings old crafts back to life. The sheaves of the past return to the landscape as objects to sit on during the Summer. Near the site, wooden clamping brackets press the harvested material into benches for walkers. The sheaf follows the rhythm of the seasons: the reed slowly decays in the autumn and is reabsorbed into nature. The resulting refuse in turn finds its way into nests, floating islands for small mammals and fertiliser for new willows and reed.