Hieflerweg

Intervention; hay, wood

Dimensions variable, 2022

Haymakers were used for drying hay. The Hiefler is a debarked young spruce tree of 2 to 3 meters height, pointed at the bottom. The grass was hung to dry on the branch extensions, which were about 20 cm long. Hiefelning itself is a very old method of bringing high quality hay into the barn during uncertain weather conditions.

Hieflers have disappeared from the landscape today. Mechanical methods combined with economic-rational management replaced the hay rakes with bales. This change is also symbolic of the transformation of agriculture into an industrial enterprise.

Colloquially, the Hiefler in Austria are often referred to as Heumandeln (haymen). I took this "humanized" designation as an occasion to point out in an intervention the disappearance of the human-individual in our cultural landscape.

Along a brook grass is mowed in order to hang this on several Hiefler. These are placed in the stream, which suggests this path of disappearance.