The video work Geh aus mein Herz! (Go forth, my heart!) presents us with treetops swaying in the wind, rustling grasses, and changing stretches of land moved by air currents. The scene also features a choir, and it seems as though the singers’ breath were gently setting the treetops in motion. We can’t see the actual source of the strong wind, although it determines the movements of our gaze. Over time, the trees’ motion changes and the number of leaves twirling in the wind increases.


Based on the nature film genre, Julius continues his inquiry into the construction and staging of nature. The motion is created, in fact, by the strong downdraft of the helicopter from which the artist filmed the scene. Thus, just looking at the landscape brings about a change. The soothing, undulating images are accompanied by the hymn Go forth, my heart, and seek delight, sung by the artist’s relatives. Based on the monotheistic Christian role in socially constructing nature, the hymn celebrates the beauty of the natural environment and the joy in contemplating it. The singing family alternates with a German choir and an organ concert. The slowed-down sounds move between a solemn, sacral atmosphere and nearly eerie sounds to the powerful rushing of wind. Additionally, the almost too-beautiful scene of the Alpine landscape is disturbed by the helicopter’s CO2 breath that triggers the movements of the trees and plants while presenting a perspective that would otherwise be denied to the human eye.