Dennis Oppenheim’s Battle Drums, 2009 is in front of the main train station in Osnabruck, Germany as part of the group show Colossal curated by Jan Hoet. The goal of the show is to create new reflection spaces on the Varus Battle, which took place in the region in 9 A.D. and is was the starting point of the military retreat of the Roman Empire from the north of Germany. Supported by Landschaftsverband Osnabrücker Land e.V., the exhibition is twenty projects sited in the archaeological Park of Kalkriese and in farmyards in the Vargus region as well as the City of Osnabruck.
According to the artist, the starting point for Battle Drums was the massive attack employing thousands of spears hurdled into the air which rained on trapped and confused approaching Romans soldiers. Like a torrential rain storm, long steel spears fell upon the approaching soldiers.
Battle Drums focuses on this action and subjects it to motorized revolutions of a turntable producing an endless pattern of cascading spears over and over again, on the Romans figures. It is this swirl of death, here shown in revolving light, which underlines the universal outcome of all wars.
The project was engineered and constructed by Hartmut Rählmann of Hasbergen.
Water jet cut corten steel, rotating motor, timer, lights.
Each drum: 2.7m H X 2.7m in dia
Installation: 2.7m H X 7 m in dia
Visit the Dennis Oppenheim’s website:http://www.dennisoppenheim.org/
For more information: http://www.colossal.de.com/project_information.pdf
2 – Balkenhol in Berlin.
5,70 meter hoch und 740 kilogramm schwer ist die skulptur « Balanceakt », die Friede Springer am 25 Mai vor dem Verlagshaus Axel Springer in Berlin verhüllte. Das Werk des Künstler Stephan Balkenhol sei 20 Jahre nach der Öffnung der Mauer « ein Zeichen des Triumphes über das Bauwerk der Teilung », sagte Mathias Döpfner, Vostandvositzender der Axel Springer AG (Die Welt, Bild). Altbundespräsident Richard von Weizäcker erinnerte an den Verleger Axel Springer : « Wie würde er sich freuen, könnte er erleben, dass wir heute hier nicht nur an den 50. Jahrestag der Grundsteinlegung seines Hauses, sondern auch an das 20. Jubiläum des Mauerfalls erinnern ».
3 – Information relayée de Info@art-public.com
Bergen Bybane Art Project Strømmen
Bybanen is a light-rail system under construction in the city of Bergen, Norway.
On behalf of the City of Bergen Public Art Commission, the Committee for Bergen Bybane Art Program invites Norwegian and international artists to express their interest in a closed competition for a water and/or light-based work. This project is supported by KORO (Public Art Norway) through its public space program.
In this project the Committee has chosen to emphasize its overriding vision and the prime motive for the construction of Bybanen; a vision prioritizing sustainable local and global development. This is the first project of an art program that will encompass both permanent and temporary art works along Bybanen’s route.
Project A1, Strømmen: The Committee envisions a water and/or light-based work. Water and light are intrinsically associated with the project’s theme; furthermore, they provide references both to Bergen’s historical connection to the sea and to the significance of light for our part of the world. Both elements evoke positive associations which will be experienced as invigorating in their own right. Bybanen’s station here lies at the northern bridgehead of Old Nygård Bridge. The art here will be seen and experienced by those waiting at this stop.
Presentations in the prequalification round must not exceed 10 pages. This must include a CV, a description of relevant competence and documentation of earlier projects. See full submission details at the following links: http://www.bybanen.no/index.cfm?id=170586 and www.koro.no , English version.
Write “Bybanen, Project Strommen” on the envelope and send it to :
Bergen Kommune,
Bergen kommunes fond til kunstnerisk utsmykning av byen,
v/ Grete Riis,
Postboks 7700,
N - 5020 Bergen
Norway