Were these quirky creatures always here? Before you stand the Flossies. Twenty-nine unique sculptures they were. Each one a testament to artist Rosalie’s vibrant imagination. They once adorned two buildings in Dusseldorf’s Medienhafen. Their playful forms climbed the facades. Their flipper-like hands and feet earned them their endearing name. Flossen is the German word for flippers. This is why they are called Flossis.
The Flossis arrived in 2002. A gift to the city from Klu00fch Service Management. They’d previously graced the NRW-Forum. Part of an exhibition celebrating art and plastic. Each Flossi is a unique masterpiece. Differing in pose and design. They were quite large. Up to 4.2 meters tall and 2.5 meters wide. They covered an impressive 800 square meters of facade. Yellow green red and blue were their bold colors.
But time took its toll. By 2018 the Flossis were showing their age. Weather and age threatened to break them. The materials weren’t suited for long-term outdoor use. Corrosion and water damage added to their woes. The city had to act. They had to take them down.
In May 2018 the Flossis were carefully removed. They are now in storage. Their future is uncertain. Repairing them is a costly venture. It could take years. The removal and transport alone cost 17500 euros. Even in 2022 they hadn’t been restored. The colorful climbers vanished from the cityscape. A sad sight for many.
So here we stand. Before their empty space. A reminder of their playful presence. A vibrant splash of color that is now gone. Yet their story lives on. A testament to the ephemeral nature of art. And a poignant reminder of what once was. A chapter in Dusseldorf’s history.