“Song of the Earth” complements the graphic collection of the HLMD – inspired by Gustav Mahler and nature
The internationally renowned artist Jorinde Voigt has donated a significant work to the Hessian State Museum Darmstadt (HLMD): The large-format work "Song of the Earth, Chapter IV: The Farewell" from 2016 is now part of the Graphic Collection. It measures 141 x 600 cm and is one of the major works in the oeuvre of the Darmstadt-born artist.
Voigt was born in Frankfurt am Main in 1977 and attended high school in Darmstadt. During her school years, she became acquainted with the museum through the Cornford Art School at the Hessian State Museum of Music (HLMD) and the Academy of Music . Today, she is a professor of painting and drawing at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg. With exhibitions worldwide, she is considered one of the most important contemporary draughtswomen .
Art meets music and nature
Voigt was inspired to create "Song of the Earth" by Gustav Mahler's song cycle "Das Lied von der Erde" (The Song of the Earth) . In her art, the artist combines graphic elements with musical structure : lines, notations, colors, and handwritten notes create a kind of visual piece of music – a "score" that appears to the viewer like a poetic map.
“The work visualizes abstract phenomena such as the Earth’s rotation or the perception of time – and translates musical themes into a unique visual language,” said museum director Dr. Martin Faass . “We are very grateful to Jorinde Voigt for this generous donation. It is a great asset to our museum.”
A bridge to nature
The work, divided into three parts, evokes whales – a reference to the whale exhibit in the museum's natural history department. There, visitors can hear whale songs at the touch of a button – a world Voigt expresses in her drawing. The title, "The Farewell," also symbolizes the farewell to threatened habitats and species .
The Graphic Collection is now richer by a work that not only impresses with its aesthetics, but also touches on complex topics such as climate change, time and memory .
(DARMSTADT – RED/HLMD)
Featured image: Jorinde Voigt and Martin Faass in front of the artwork at the HLMD. Photo: A. Ebert, HLMD. Jorinde Voigt / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025
