Balkonien – Toni and Thoma: The Art of Growing, 2026

Description

Nature, Memory and Transformation – Haci Sami Yaman, Berlin, 2026 For approximately six years, my Berlin balcony has been a place of observation, artistic reflection and occasional botanical adventures. Through my tomato plants Toni and Thoma, I explore growth, transformation, natural cycles, inherited characteristics, scent, taste, memory and the transmission of information between generations. Living with severe visual impairment, caring for these plants can be both challenging and wonderfully amusing. Their branches grow in unexpected directions, sometimes making their own rules. Following their adventurous growth can be difficult, and branches occasionally break. Occasionally, I even joke that my tomatoes receive more attention for their beauty than I do. Yet these small encounters with nature bring me joy, laughter and inspiration. Balkonien forms part of my wider artistic reflections on creation, perception, memory and the changing structures of life. It is conceptually connected to my monumental artwork Anahita, while remaining an independent observation of living nature. This video documents a stage of the 2026 growing season on my balcony in Berlin.

• Balkonien
• Nature Documentary