How about a journey through stone’s transformation? Right here we find the Metamorphose des Steins Sculpture. This artwork resides in Freiburg im Breisgau. It is a piece by Rainer Stiefvater.
The Metamorphose des Steins Sculpture was created in 1987. It stands in the Herdern district of Freiburg. The Kunstverein Freiburg e.V. focuses on current trends in contemporary art. It focuses on fundamental questions. These questions concern production, presentation, and communication of contemporary art. The Kunstverein also considers the preconditions of contemporary art.
The Kunstverein Freiburg was established in 1827. It is among Germany’s oldest art associations. The Kunstverein is esteemed both nationally and internationally.
Individual and group exhibitions occur here. There are collaborations and projects. You can join free guided tours, lectures, and music programs. Discussions also take place. The Kunstverein devotes itself to art communication. It systematically aims at a young public.
Another sculpture once faced public displeasure. In 1961, a sculpture was erected on the old synagogue plaza. The people of Freiburg were not enthusiastic. They voiced their concerns in letters to the “Badische Zeitung” newspaper. They also wrote to the university. The state acquired the two-meter-long sculpture for the university’s new college building. It was a design from 1953. One nickname for the Reclining Figure was the “Emmental Venus.” The Henry Moore Foundation has exhibited the sculpture. It traveled to Perry Green in England twice. The sculpture is insured for 1.5 million euros for each journey. The original purchase price was 30,000 Deutschmarks.
Another artwork is the Garden Hose by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. An allotment garden was demolished for the vocational school center and Eschholzpark. The artists aimed to remind people of this history. They created a 10-meter high, 84-meter long red hosepipe. It has a tap. The City of Freiburg’s art competition chose this design in 1980. The work was realized two years later. A steelworks in Mühlheim bent the 30 hose parts. A special transporter relocated the parts to Freiburg. The cost of 400,000 Deutschmarks was financed by the city.
Bettina Eichin’s Nine Muses also had an eventful history. In 1978, a competition sought design ideas for Freiburg’s Metzgerau street. Bettina Eichin won with her figures. She said they carry the burden of history. The city purchased one figure, the “Sleeping Muse.” Two years later, the city’s cultural committee bought the other muses. They traveled to the University of Bern, the University of Berlin, and Basel. In 1996, a permanent location was found in the University of Freiburg.
Andrea Zaumseil’s Dancing Cones aim to make music visible. The artist calls them cones. Their angles create a counterpoint to the Konzerthaus Freiburg. Although hollow, they weigh 22 tons. A water drain protects them from rain. The cast iron sculptures were produced in Heidenheim.
Franz Gutmann’s Swallower and Spitter are under the city railway bridge. Two giant heads, hands, and feet connect via a “Freiburg Bächle.” The “Spitter” fills the channel with water. It flows into the mouth of the “Swallower.” The city spent 170,000 Deutschmarks for the work. Steel ladders on the “Spitter” offer a special viewing angle.
Werner Gürtner’s Holbein Horse has been painted over many times. In 1981, it mutated into a zebra. It has served as a bearer of love declarations and marriage proposals. The parks authority installed it near Holbeinstrasse.
Eberhard Rau’s Red Otto is a twelve-meter-tall sculpture. It features three rotating figures. Two human figures form a couple. The third face represents Faunus, a Roman demigod of nature. Ole Meinecke’s Crocodile is a granite head in the commercial canal. It is a popular postcard motif.
Johannes Rühl’s Coat Sculpture commemorates the deportation of Jewish people. It is draped near the Wiwili Brücke. Birgit Strauch created the bronze sculpture. It symbolizes what the deported people left behind. Tom Brane’s Graffiti House faced controversy. The owner commissioned graffiti on a historic building. After initial objections, the building’s protected status was revoked. The artist finished the graffiti, dedicating it to children.
So, Metamorphose des Steins Sculpture is a fitting name. It represents the constant change and evolution of art and culture.