In her first exploration of glass as a
material, Marija Jaensch draws inspiration from a medieval tapestry depicting a
courtly scene in an enclosed garden, known as 'The Offering of the Heart'. Made
in Northern France around 1400 and now at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the
Gothic wall hanging presents a nobleman offering his heart to a lady,
surrounded by stylized trees with fantastic colourful foliage and lush
vegetation against a dark blue background, creating the characteristic
millefleurs style typical of medieval tapestries. Jaensch's installation
consists of five leafless trees in translucent glass, directly traced from the
distinctive silhouettes found in the tapestry, their naked forms creating an
ethereal interpretation of the medieval landscape. Above this bare arrangement,
a red glass heart suspended from the ceiling transforms the courtly scene into
pure symbolic form. By removing the figures and placing an isolated heart at
the centre, viewers are invited to take on the role of offering the heart and
to apply their own experiences onto the scene. This contemporary meditation on
presence and absence creates a space where narrative gives way to personal
contemplation.