Anna Schuleit creates an array of different works using more traditional forms of media, and installations. One of my favorite works that she has crafted is an installation called Bloom in 2003. This installation was "Created to address the persistent absence of flowers in psychiatric hospital settings" (
annaschuleit.com). Schuleit blanketed the floors of a psychiatric hospital, which had recently closed, with over 28,000 potted blooming flowers, with assorted colors on each floor. Even the swimming pool contained flowers, while the basement was covered with a layer of sod. The intercom system played the recorded sounds of the hospital in the days leading up to its closing as viewers experienced the installation.
I find Bloom intriguing because I don't see the installation as eerie. From my perspective, it seems as though Schuleit had created an atmosphere to be respectful and honorary of the people who had been patients or employees at the facility while it was in use. In a way, it seems like she intended to recreate the original feeling of the hospital with the recordings, but she was also showing that even that sterile and sometimes troubled atmosphere can enjoy bright colors, and natural beauty, which she represented with potted blooming flowers.
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| Photo Courtesy Anna Schuleit |
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| Photo Courtesy Anna Schuleit |
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| Photo Courtesy Anna Schuleit |
soooooo fun!
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