If it is not here, it must be there (Vicinity), 2017

Bus shelter approx. 420 x 240 x 220 cm, Cornelia Daheim (futurologist) and Nadine Müseler (Cologne office for culture) on the folding bikes, Angus78 & Freaki spraying, Auto Obermann at the truck-mounted crane / St.Open #2, co-work with Sina Seifee

An intervention in three parts was staged in the „Klingelpützpark“ with the following „actors“:

1. the bus shelter was delivered on a truck and installed with the help of a crane in front of a live audience
2. after a while previously instructed graffiti artists descended on the „playground“. On the ramp opposite of the setting of the bus shelter, the artists began to prime the surface for a picture from Giovanni Bragolin who is famous for his pictures of crying children, who are part of a modern tale. Exceptionally, the city of Cologne allowed us to spray on the ramp. Usually graffiti artists are acting at night and you can hardly spot their actions at daytime.
3. We arranged a „blind date“ between Nadine Müseler from the Cologne office for culture who is very active in promoting art in public spaces and alternative gallery locations, and Cornelia Daheim, who is a foresight consultant, whose work entails holding speeches in cooperation with companies or governments about future work models, economical developments and spatial planning, and working with alternative methods in communication, negotiation and spaces. The women met at the culture office of Cologne, which is about 20min drive from the action ground. The two women were provided with identical folding bikes, and were invited to get to know each other during their ride. They arrived at the bus shelter, passing the graffiti action, shortly after the installation of the bus shelter and locked their bike to it.
The audience could take part in the modification of the park while attending the intervention, setting up the bus shelter as a new architectural space. The Klingelpützpark is famous for being the site of the former city prison, which was demolished in the 70s. Nowadays, the city is building a widely laid out educational centre around the park, which has led to enduring protests by a citizens’ initiative. The view from the bus shelter reaches over the basketball court and the graffiti to the Media Tower of Cologne with its light installation by professor Heinz Mack.
The intervention took place as an urban story telling, in which topics like neighbourhood, private moments or ownership of public places crossed each other and were momentarily animated on the site. The observer appears in the action – being surrounded by the interaction of time, sight and invisibility, by information, action, architecture, communicative interfaces and rational systems in an urban space. Like a hybrid of sculpture and the attempt of a constant presence in space and time, the intervention disappeared and blurred slowly with the park. The action became a part of the ambience of the site – fully accepted by the audience.

If it is not here, it must be there (Vicinity), 2017

View on installation Klingelpützpark, Cologne ● ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

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Photo: Jennifer Jendreizig, Ali Chakav, Helmut Nick, Gauthier Evrard, Selma Gültoprak