For Forest

For Forest was a temporary art installation by Klaus Littmann, staged on the football field of Wörthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt. It featured 299 trees up to 14 metres tall, arranged across the pitch for visitors to walk among. The project ran from September to October 2019 and attracted over 200,000 visitors during its run. The work was inspired by Max Peintner’s 1970–71 drawing The Unending Attraction of Nature, which shows a future where nature exists only in controlled spaces. Littmann intended the installation to challenge how people view nature and to serve as a reminder of what might be lost. Media coverage reached more than 80 countries, and Leonardo DiCaprio highlighted the project online. By early October, 100,000 people had already visited, and the installation generated an estimated advertising value of 13 million euros. Swiss landscape architect Enzo Enea designed the tree layout, sourcing specimens from Italy, Germany and Belgium. Sixteen tree species stood on the pitch, including silver fir, European beech and Scots pine. A satellite programme included exhibitions, film screenings and talks across Klagenfurt, linking art and environmental themes. The stadium’s usual fixtures were paused, drawing criticism from some local politicians and sports teams.