Once upon a time, there was an art piece known as the o. T. Sculpture. Let’s talk about art in public spaces here in Freiburg. When a sculpture was erected in 1961 on what is now the old synagogue plaza, the people of Freiburg were initially less than enthusiastic. They expressed their displeasure in many letters to the “Badische Zeitung” newspaper and the university. The state had acquired the two-meter-long and almost two-ton new casting of a design from 1953 as art in architecture for the university’s new college building.
One of the most amiable nicknames given to the Reclining Figure at the time was the “Emmental Venus.” The sculpture’s international status is underlined by its participation in exhibitions by the Henry Moore Foundation. This brought it twice to Perry Green in England, where the artist once lived. The o. T. Sculpture is insured for a sum of 1.5 million euros for each of its journeys across the English Channel. That’s a considerable increase in value compared to the original purchase price of 30,000 Deutschmarks.
In 1983, an allotment garden area was demolished to allow the construction of the vocational school center and Eschholzpark. In designing their large sculpture, the artist couple aimed to create a reminder of this history in the form of a 10-meter high, 84-meter long red hosepipe complete with tap. Their design won the City of Freiburg’s art competition in 1980. It was another two years before the work of art was realized. For its production at Mannesmann, a steelworks in Mühlheim in the Ruhr area, the plant engineer had to develop a special new process. This bent the 30 hose parts in two directions at the same time. A model by the artists provided a template for the steelworkers. A special transporter then relocated the different parts of the sculpture to Freiburg. The cost of 400,000 Deutschmarks was financed by the city as art in architecture for the vocational school center.
The nine life-size bronze sculptures had an eventful history before finally arriving in their present location. They became a complete ensemble in the Kollegiengebäude III University building in 1996. In 1978, the Berufsverband Bildender Künstler Südbadens launched a competition for design ideas for Freiburg’s Metzgerau street. The Swiss sculptor Bettina Eichin won this competition with the design of her new figures. “Draped in heavy cloth, they carry the burden of history,” was her explanation. This deviated from the common perception of the Muses, described by Goethe, for example, as “ethereal.” The competition jury was enthusiastic. They recommended the design to the city for implementation. 270,000 Deutschmarks in the city budget was set aside for it. Several members of the BBK, however, were far less enthusiastic about the design. They protested vigorously against its installation. After five years, a compromise was reached. The city purchased one of the figures, the “Sleeping Muse,” for 30,000 Deutschmarks. It was placed in the mayor’s study. Two years later, the city’s cultural committee voted for the purchase of the other muses. Six of them were to be exhibited at the State Garden Show. This was followed by a true odyssey for the ensemble. From a storage room in the Mundenhof zoo, they traveled on loan to the University of Bern, the University of Berlin, and to Basel. It wasn’t until 1996 that a permanent location for the bronze sculptures was found in the stairwell. This was in the Kollegiengebäude III building of the University of Freiburg.
The artist calls her four sculptures cones rather than spinning tops. Their angles of inclination of 60, 70, 75, and 80 degrees create a strong counterpoint to the vertical elements. These are on the facade of Konzerthaus Freiburg. Although the cones are hollow inside, they weigh a total of 22 tons. An accumulation of rain could overturn the sculptures, in spite of their large concrete foundations. A water drain is installed for protection. The cast iron sculptures were produced in the Roll Voith industrial foundry in Heidenheim, Swabia.
The o. T. Sculpture, like other art, sparks conversation and sometimes controversy. Its presence enriches our city.