When David and I were invited to present our work at Art Safiental 2022, we aimed to distance ourselves from the FPV drone projects we had showcased in the valley in recent years. "Schlitten (fliegend)" and "Ball (vom Berg)" both revolved around the theme of flying machines, and we were determined not to be pigeonholed as mere "drone artists." Thus, we embarked on a journey to explore a different theme prevalent in the valley.

Soon, it became apparent that relying solely on our notebooks and online research wouldn't suffice. We needed to immerse ourselves in nature and engage with the local community. Through a stroke of serendipity, we were introduced to Paul Gartmann, the park ranger responsible for the last stretch of the valley where the waterfall is located. Paul recounted his annual trek to Alperschälli, where he replaced the hiking poles adorned with the typical red and white patterns that serve as vital markers for hikers, preventing them from losing their way.

However, a dilemma emerged – Alperschälli was home to several groups of ibexes that found the poles appealing for horn-scratching, inadvertently removing the paint and rendering the poles useless for hikers. This predicament fueled our inspiration to examine nature's defense mechanisms against intruders, projecting these dynamics onto the poles, as if the poles themselves had a soul. For instance, we explored how herds form protective circles around their young to repel predators or how certain animals alter their size in response to threats, either enlarging or minimizing themselves.

In this context, one of the poles even concealed itself in a small lake adjacent to the hiking path – a clever form of defense. The centerpiece of our work was the "cactus," which featured several arms adorned with the painted hiking pattern. This design ensured that if one arm was affected by the ibexes, spare arms were available to show the way. The project was a monumental journey that involved a helicopter flight to transport the poles up the mountain (given that the large pole, exceeding 3 meters in length, was impractical to carry on our backs). We dedicated a solid two days to dig holes for the poles, fortifying them against the harsh mountain weather conditions.

In collaboration with David Simon.

With the help of Paul Gartmann, Vinzenz Leutenegger and the ibex gang.