Where the Silence Breathes

In the stillness of the garden, we encounter ourselves. With the sculpture «Where the Silence Breathes», Sonja Riemer continues her «HOPE» series, creating a poetic dialogue between humanity and nature. Nestled within the meticulously designed garden landscape of the Garten Hotel Lindenhof, overlooking Lake Brienz, it becomes a place for quiet contemplation.

At its center is a seated, life-sized figure. Introverted, embracing itself, gazing into the distance, it embodies both tranquility and vulnerability, strength and fragility. The human body becomes a resonant space for inner states – a mirror of our own feelings. Its reduced, organic form evokes classical sculpture while simultaneously posing a contemporary question: How do we find our way back to ourselves in a changing world?

The work navigates the tension between retreat and connection. It invites us to discover the stillness that resides in cultivated natural spaces – a stillness that is not emptiness, but presence. A state between security and expansiveness.

The sculpture serves as a place to pause: for breath, for feeling, for memory – and for what may yet come. Like a silent echo of human presence, it integrates into nature – reserved, open, inviting.

Materiality:

Crafted from a highly durable material, the sculpture is designed for long-term outdoor display. A protective iron skin gives the surface depth and vibrancy. Over time, due to weathering, an organic patina develops – a visible expression of change, time, and memory.

The delicate wire mesh creates a tension between distance and permeability: It appears both protective and open, defining and light – a visual metaphor for the fragile balance between the inner world and external reality.

Sonja Riemer - Where the Silence Breathes - frontal
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Sonja Riemer

Künstlerin Sonja Riemer

Artist Sonja Riemer creates expressive paintings and sculptures in acrylic, oil, metal, and clay, exploring themes such as humanity, nature, and transience.

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Hotel Lindenhof, Brienz

On the shores of Lake Brienz, Hotel Lindenhof offers views of the Bernese Alps. This Swiss chalet hotel is nestled in a fairytale park.

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Sonja Riemer - Where the Silence Breathes

About the Art Garden Hotels

From April to November 2026, over 100 works will be exhibited in the gardens of the Garden Hotels Switzerland as part of the Art Garden Hotels. Visitors will have the opportunity to discover the works of 30 Swiss artists at 21 locations. The artworks were specially curated for the respective hotel gardens and blend harmoniously into their surroundings. This created a unique open-air gallery in each garden, open to all interested parties.