Two weathered bicycles, frozen in a perpetual wheelie. This is Robert Rauschenberg’s Riding Bikes sculpture. Here on Fontaneplatz, near Potsdamer Platz, these aren’t just bikes. They are a statement. Riding Bikes, crafted in 1998, was commissioned by Daimler AG. The sculpture features two bicycles mounted on stainless steel posts, their forms highlighted by colorful neon lights. Rauschenberg, a pioneer of pop art, believed in merging art and life. He often incorporated everyday objects into his work, like tennis balls, tires, and even stuffed goats. With Riding Bikes, he takes the functional object of a bicycle and transforms it into something else entirely. These bikes, wheels touching, become a pseudo-vehicle, forever immobile. The sculpture sits above a reflecting pool, mirroring the bicycles and neon against the backdrop of the city. This placement adds another layer of meaning. The bikes, meant for motion, are static, reflected in the still water. This juxtaposition perhaps comments on our relationship with technology and movement in the modern world. Rauschenberg’s work often invites interpretation. Some see Riding Bikes as a playful nod to Daimler, a company known for its vehicles. The immobilized bikes, perhaps, ironically celebrate the very idea of locomotion. Others see a deeper commentary on progress and modernity. The neon, once vibrant, may now be fading, adding to the sculpture’s weathered charm. It stands as a testament to Rauschenberg’s innovative spirit, a unique blend of art and everyday life. It makes you think. It makes you wonder. And it definitely makes you look twice at the next bicycle you see.
Genossenschaft PA58
From 1981 the Genossenschaft PA58 stands tall. It’s a self-managed house project. This is its story. This impressive building in