枣 zǎo | Jujube | Chinese Date, 2026

Bronze, plastic bags Dimensions variable; each jujube ca. 2 × 6 × 2 cm

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) is often labelled as “Chinese date” or Chinesische Dattel, although it is botanically unrelated to the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). It has been cultivated in China for over 4,000 years. A daily food. A symbol of fertility, birth, and fortune.

I cast jujubes in bronze, each one unique. Each fruit was burnt out of its mould, leaving a cavity into which the alloy was cast. They now hang in plastic bags I collected while buying fruit and vegetables in Switzerland. Some on nails on the wall. Some fallen to the floor.

Kunsthaus Langenthal, 2026. Photo: Hao Wang