LUDWIG Charts Season 17

April 17, 2020

Portrait collage of the teamers with their top 10, 2020 © LUDWIGGALERIE

The online portrait of the “Best Of” in, on and around the art museum:

“Teamers” from the open all-day program at the Falkenstein School show their top 10.

Due to the current situation surrounding Covid-19, the public presentation at the end of the project unfortunately had to be cancelled. However, the children's work should not come to nothing, so the museum educators of the LUDWIGGALERIE, Ursula Bendorf-Depenbrock and Sabine Falkenbach, are now presenting the "Making of" LUDWIG CHARTS Season 17.

In February, the children started out curious and with many questions: “Are they still alive?” – Children of the LUDWIG CHARTS explore the museum space with all their senses.

The museum educators with the children on the Slinky Springs to Fame bridge, 2020 © LUDWIGGALERIE

The wind blows icy on the colorful bridge with the strange rings. Lisa and Sophie look around seriously. They hold several cards in their hands. Some of them already have drawings on them. "Do you hear that?" asks Lisa.

“The trees are rustling,” says Sophie. “Where is my card with the ear?” She searches frantically until she finds the little ear symbol on one of the note sheets. Then they start painting. The primary school children from the Falkenstein School in Oberhausen are taking part in the LUDWIG CHARTS exhibition this time. Photographer among musicians – Linda McCartney – The Sixties and more But for them, the sensory impressions they perceive around the museum are much more exciting than the Beatles or Jim Morrison. Because, surprisingly, it doesn't always have to be about art to learn to love culture.

Exploring the castle courtyard, 2020 © LUDWIGGALERIE

"Why do we always just go to the exhibition? Why don't we first look at the museum space. At the place where the art actually takes place," says project manager Ursula Bendorf-Depenbrock. So she and her colleague and museum educator Sabine Falkenbach had the idea of designing so-called sensory cards. Small postcards with the symbols of eye, nose and ear.

"What do I see around the LUDWIGGALERIE? What can I smell? What can I hear?" explains Sabine Falkenbach. "That's what it's all about. That the children consciously sense the space, experience it and ultimately understand it and remember it."

Museum. More than a dusty room where you are not allowed to speak loudly.

Filling out sensory cards on the bridge over the Rhine-Herne Canal, 2020 © LUDWIGGALERI

Strange body parts in the courtyard of the LUDWIGGALERIE

“What is that?” Marie exclaims, somewhat horrified, when she sees the large, three-dimensional caricature of Brexit with the many heads in the courtyard. It is part of the exhibition Jacques Tilly: Politics and Provocation – Caricatures XXL.
"Those are breasts," whispers one of the girls, pointing to the sculpture. Everyone giggles. Then the group decides that this outdoor discovery is definitely worth finding a place on the map with the eye symbol.
Sophie sniffs at the same time. “Do you smell that?”

The charm of the Ruhr region wafts over. It smells a little burnt. This is also recorded. On the sensory map with the nose.

Painting, drawing, collecting impressions in the fresh air, 2020 © LUDWIGGALERIE

A little later, Ursula Bendorf-Depenbrock and Sabine Falkenbach lead the children to the Slinky Springs to Fame bridge. The colorful spiral bridge by artist Tobias Rehberger is an eye-catcher and leads over the Rhine-Herne Canal. There, a large freighter is digging its way through the waves. "Wow!" shouts Jan-Ulrich, who has already taken part in a previous season of the LUDWIG CHARTS and is a little older than the other participants, who are in the 4th grade. He was so enthusiastic about the LUDWIG CHARTS museum education project that he is now supporting the teachers as a helper.

“I found a love lock!” Pia calls out, waving a pen. “It says 1990 on it!” Her eyes widen. “I’m surprised.”

“Are you wondering if they are still together?” asks Ursula Bendorf-Depenbrock.

“No, I wonder if they’re still alive!” Pia replies seriously.

The Top 10 – Places and Art Connected

After the cool and adventurous tour around Oberhausen Castle, the glass elevator in the museum building is a particular hit. Everyone wants to go in at the same time.
"At the next meeting, the children will choose their TOP 10," explains Sabine Falkenbach. "This time, however, not only their TOP 10 works from the exhibition, but also their favorite places that they discovered out here." They will then present these to preschool children from the Lirich Family Center. "We are very pleased about this first-time cooperation with the daycare center," adds Ursula Bendorf-Depenbrock. "It will be very exciting for everyone involved."
Beforehand, the group receives coaching to improve their posture and language. In this way, the LUDWIG CHARTS not only strengthens their interest in art and museums, but also their self-confidence.

After the top 10 meetings, the time had come for the students to present their favorite works and favorite places to the preschool children of the Lirich Family Center.

Text by Sarah Bauer, supplemented by Ursula Bendorf-Depenbrock and Karoline Seck