Status: February 13th, 2021 8:44 pm
You have already seen a lot, just accept it. They are part of the cityscape of Hamburg: around 2,000 works can officially count as “art in public space” – a unique program in Germany. You can also visit them during the corona pandemic.
Anne-Kathrin Reinberg from the cultural authority knows all works of art and their stories. “It is worthwhile, especially in the current era, when walking is inevitably a new way of going out, just to walk through the city and look carefully because you don’t discover everything immediately,” she says.
The green oasis with winter-proof palm trees, reeds and poplar trunks on Deichtorplatz was created as part of an art campaign. It was actually only supposed to remain temporary, but the concept of a Düsseldorf artist has been part of downtown Hamburg for around 20 years. “This is an example that there are very different forms of expression and implementation when it comes to art in public space. And when you take a second look, you notice that this is actually not normal and that palm trees, reeds and bamboo grow in the middle of the city”, says Reinberg.
Web of words
Quirky word creations: Speech cylinders on Deichtorplatz.
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A Hamburg artist also came up with the so-called language cylinders on the Deichtor car park. The order was to design the air ducts for the parking garage – with a free hand. Ruprecht Matthies then began to ask passers-by how they find this place here, what associations or relationships they have with this place. He has put together a large collection of words, “explains Reinberg. This combination can now be recognized in the network of the work of art. The result is bizarre word creations that one can search for.
Homage to Hamburg
Just a few steps further, an artist immortalized something like a homage to Hamburg for an exhibition in the southern Deichtorhallen. On the Oberhafenbrücke, terms such as “wind” and “ships” are emblazoned in white letters. “This is the view from the exhibition to the outside. They are words that mainly fit the port, the water in general,” says Reinberg.
Works distributed all over the city
Works of various kinds are scattered all over the city. There are two audio guides to download for a better overview. The Kulturpunkte app helps you get an overview by looking for works in the vicinity of your own location. A little art in passing has never hurt.
Further information
