Why is Undine going? This is a question many ask when they first encounter the Undine geht Sculpture. The Undine geht Sculpture stands near the Fährgarten in Johannstadt. It is one of a pair of steel sculptures by artist Angela Hampel.
The story of Undine geht begins in 1998. Angela Hampel created the pair of sculptures for the “An Elbe und Rhein” project. One sculpture was placed in Dresden and the other in Bonn. The concept featured one Undine going into the water and another coming out.
After the art project ended, the sculpture in Bonn lost its place. Dresden’s Undine also had to move during the construction of the Molenbrücke. However, the rusty Undine sculptures had already found admirers. Axel Bergmann and Stefan Zinkler, city councilors, worked to find a new place for Undine geht on the Elbe riverbank.
In 2010, the Culture Committee approved the project. Funds from “Kunst im öffentlichen Raum” were allocated. Pieschen already had a new home for “Undine kommt”. After discussions, the Johannstadt bank was chosen for Undine geht.
In May 2011, Undine geht temporarily graced the Elbe meadows. Before finding her permanent spot, legal hurdles had to be cleared. An exception permit would have been needed for the Elbe meadows. Axel Bergmann stated that this could have taken years.
The Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsamt helped by finding a spot just outside their facilities. The Amt für Kultur und Denkmalschutz managed the lengthy approval process. Because the 2.50-meter-high figure could be an obstacle during floods, it had to be foldable. The city’s Zentralen technischen Dienste take care of this in case of danger.
Private firms also helped. Bau Schulze sponsored the foundation’s construction. Stahlbau May did the metalwork connecting the sculpture and the foundation. CDU city councilor Joachim Stübner arranged this.
Angela Hampel hoped that the Johannstadt residents would embrace the Undine geht Sculpture. She was happy that the figure had found a good place after a shadowy existence in her garden. It is not often that art is desired. Here it is the case and that is nice.
The Undine geht Sculpture now faces the city. Its sister sculpture Undine kommt stands in Pieschen. Together, they create a connection along the Elbe River.