With “State of Nature,” the Schleswig-Holstein State Museums present a comprehensive exhibition by the British artist Rebecca Louise Law, internationally renowned for her expansive installations made from natural materials. Law transforms her surroundings into dense, atmospheric spaces of experience where we encounter nature directly – sensually, poetically, and often overwhelmingly. Those who move through her installations perceive the scent of dried flowers, experience ephemeral beauty, and realize: every blade of grass, every blossom tells a story of nature’s growth, change, and transience – and of our responsibility for preserving the natural foundations of life.

The exhibition title, State of Nature, is deliberately multifaceted. It refers to the philosophical concept of the state of nature – a model of thought that explores how humans interact with the world before it is shaped by rules, claims of ownership, and social order. This does not refer to a historical state of origin, but rather to an attitude of immediacy: a relationship to nature characterized by attentiveness, dependence, and responsibility.

Against this backdrop, State of Nature is conceived as an invitation to pause and look anew. Rebecca Louise Law’s works create spaces for concentration and wonder. They raise awareness of ecological connections without being didactic and open up experiential spaces that make the close relationship between humanity and nature sensually tangible.

Four places – four experiences