Art in architecture

Edge figures

Glass transition, connection from the old to the new building of the Employment Agency Schwäbisch Hall, Stainless steel, 12 figures powder-coated black, 220 mm x 5 mm, in a steel base with cutouts, 1997.
In 1997, I was commissioned to develop an artistic work for a glass transition. It soon became clear to me that I did not want to rely on the glass surfaces; because the "view through" should be preserved. Looking down from above these buildings into the town, where the Schwäbisch Hall train station is located, the gap between the two houses offers an unobstructed view of the city. I was looking for a solution that matched this specific airy architecture, did not obstruct the view, and symbolized the activities of an employment office. I decided on approximately 20 cm tall flat figures that stand right at the edge on the ground and yet trigger a perceptual irritation. When viewed from above the buildings towards the city, these figures appear relatively small, but when a person passes through this glass corridor, they suddenly seem enormous. I liked this shift in perception.
The peripheral figures are, on the one hand, impossible to overlook and, on the other hand, influence the perception of the relationships within their surroundings.
This work incorporates experiences with my Silent Attendees, which have been developed since the 1980s. They resemble shadow outlines and, despite their small size (about 10 cm tall), effortlessly occupy large spaces. Together, they develop a peculiar monumentality.

 

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