Expressive Art
Double Helix
About the Artist
Originally trained as a biologist, Heike Endemann discovered wood sculpture during her postdoctoral research at The Rockefeller University in New York. Her practice merges scientific curiosity with raw material exploration, using chainsaw techniques to create bold, abstract totems. She is one of the few Bernheim residency alumni to return for multiple residencies, deepening her artistic connection to both nature and community.
Double Helix
Heike Endemann (Radolfzellm Germany)
2011/2013 Artist in Residence
Materials: Norway spruce, painted and charred
Double Helix is a towering abstract sculpture carved from a felled Norway spruce on Bernheim’s grounds. Using a chainsaw, Endemann transformed the tree into a vertical form that evokes natural rhythms and biological structures. The charred and painted surface adds depth and contrast, highlighting the relationship between destruction and transformation.
Location: Sassafras Room, Visitor Center