When art meets construction site: Museum Under Construction

When Art Meets Construction Site: Museum Under Construction

June 17, 2021

Part 1

Art and construction site? How do they fit together? Discover for yourself the
all summer long in our castle courtyard and read all about it here in advance
about this special open-air art project. Enjoy our three-part
Interview series with curators Nina Dunkmann, Jenny Liß and Linda
Schmitz-Kleinreesink.

Fig. The curators (from left to right): Jennifer
Liß, Nina Dunkmann and Linda Schmitz-Kleinreesink in front of the exhibition poster
by Museum Under Construction, © LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen

Nathalie
Schraven: How did the idea for the art construction site come about?

Linda Schmitz-Kleinreesink: As
It was decided that our museum would be closed for a longer period due to renovation work.
period, we have decided to use the summer to
Oberhausen and the region to continue to enjoy art. We then have
our long-cherished plan to revitalize the courtyard finally came to fruition
implemented!

Jennifer Liß: The inner courtyard
is of course inviting for our art lovers
visitors. But also for an audience that otherwise rarely visits a museum
.

Fig. Logo PriseSalz Crew © PriseSalz Crew

NaS:
The PriseSalz Crew will be in charge of the castle courtyard.
Who is behind this crew and what makes their work special?

LSK: The PriseSalz Crew consists of
many artists who are very good at playing in spaces and
to work on a large scale and site-specific basis. Our contact persons are
Aaron.St and Ursula Meyer.

Nina Dunkmann: The crew is busy
deals a lot with street art, festivals and stage construction – also in the socio-cultural
Area. It is important to us not only to buy an installation, but
to keep it approachable and alive.

JL: That’s interesting again,
that the PriseSalz crew not only sets up the installation, but also
DJ evenings and catering. So she is involved in many different
There is definitely a lot to discover
give, even if you think about the design of the huts that are in the courtyard
will stand.

ND: There is a complete
ideology behind and – that is why we say that the courtyard becomes a work of art
- this expands the classical concept of art. Away from framed paintings
to urban gardening, street art and music – there are different talents
united.

Fig. Atmosphere © PriseSalz Crew

NaS:
The Ruhr area artist Aaron.St is part of the PriseSalz Crew. What significance
Does this have a regional connection for the art construction site and for the LUDWIGGALERIE?

ND: The regional scene is mostly
about the fact that there are exhibitions for them in the Little Castle. I
but have often worked with regional artists who are
cannot be presented in a classic exhibition context. Now we offer
the courtyard as a stage for their art.

LSK: We have also repeatedly
Structural change exhibitions were shown, which showed a lot about the coal-mining region and a
Nostalgic, glorified image of the same. Today, however, the pot is
another generation. Many of the former industrial wastelands are
Now festival sites or cultural venues. This is exactly what you can see in the work of the
PriseSalz Crew is very good – that they handle the space in a completely different way.

ND: I also believe that they
from this very constructed reference to the Ruhr area – as it may be found in the
90s. This is a different generation that is completely
naturally moved through these spaces and for whom the dusty coal-pot image
no longer plays a role. They see the place as a hip place
region in which they work and whose advantages they use.

NaS:
In addition to the changing program, you also have two permanent installations. The
large-scale formats by Ursula Meyer and the wish machine in the form of a
Marble run by Aaron.St. What is behind these works of art? Why did you
selected these two?

LSK: In the outdoor area it is clear that
we need an installation simply because of the size. We have
seen that the PriseSalz crew is super experienced and innovative. Then
We found Aaron's idea of a wish machine convincing. Before the
The background is that after the Corona restrictions, art can finally be seen again
The work offers a nice starting point: One can
with his personal wishes, thoughts and hopes. Since we
In our museum we regularly exhibit paintings, we also wanted to address this aspect
give his space, so that the idea of a large-format painting by Ursula Meyer
to attach to the facade is very convincing.

ND: This again shows the
range that art can unfold. The wish machine is participatory.
throws a marble into it and triggers the machine. The work changes when
Darkness, it has light and moving elements. So it is worth visiting again and again
Ursula also paints for public spaces. It is not her
Her main concern is to create canvases, but she actually always works
That is why it is very exciting for us to show them at the castle
We are excited to see how it will look in the end.

LSK: This is perhaps for us as
One of the biggest challenges for curators is that we cannot
usually choose something beforehand, but “only” the artists determine
could, but not the work.

Author: Nathalie Schraven