“Sighting IV”: spatial and sound sculpture as a guest at the grounds of the Flossenburg Concentration Camp Memorial

In autumn 2018 it caused a sensation in Reithofen, later in Munich and Untermemergau. Now the spatial and sound sculpture named “Stitching” – numbered as “Stitching IV” – has gone on a journey again.

Reithofen / Flossenberg – You can see 32 meters high steel construction at the Flossenberg concentration camp monument in the Upper Palatinate Forest.

In 2018, architects Hildegard Rastofer (54) and blacksmith and metalworker Christian Neumayer (56) presented their sensational large-scale sculpture under the title “Stitching Eye” for the first time in their hometown of Reithofen. The work, described by the artist duo as a spatial and sound sculpture, was made at the workshop of Metalbau Neumayer in Forstern.

It consists of 13 stacked steel cubes, weighing more than 70 tons, is 32 meters high and can be accessed via a continuous ladder inside. “Two diagonally opposite incisions from floor to ceiling in each cube reveal the outside view,” explains Ralph Drechsel, who takes care of the public relations of the two artists.

“Sight”: Each visitor leaves a distinctive sound pattern

There are 156 steel stairs to climb inside the sculpture. The steps sound different for each person – “Depending on the intensity of the movement, vibration, temperature, pressure, physical stress and the location of the visitors within the sculpture, the sound changes,” the artists describe. Each visitor leaves behind a specific sound pattern – a sound trail.

Although the statue is so large and heavy, it can go on a journey. Rastofer and Neumayer have already shown him at various locations. The object in the form of “Stitching II” was in the creative quarter in Munich in 2019, after which it moved to Untermargau, where in 2020 it became a permanent part of the collection of MSE Kunsthal, an institution of entrepreneur and art collector Christian. Zot.

The work can now be seen at Flossonburg in the Upper Palatinate Forest since Whitney Weekend. This is shown by the Flossenberg concentration camp monument on the edge of a mine there which is to become part of the monument in the near future. The sculpture allows him to see, but also the palace ruins of Flossenberg and the Upper Palatinate landscape.

“Stitching IV” is not exposed in open area for the first time

“For us, ‘Sighting IV’ is by far the most artistically complex state of sculpture. The importance of Flösenberg as a European remembrance site, the special geographical and topographical location, the history of granite, all of this deepened us during our travels.” Surrounds, “Neumayer and Rastofer say and explain:” For the first time, sculpture would not be considered ‘vision IV’ to be exposed in an open area, but to hide in the landscape. “

With the help of three semi-trailers and a truck-mounted crane, parts of the sculpture came from Untermargau via Förstern to Flossenburg. Within two days a temporary art establishment was established there. It would appear throughout the summer before returning to the MSE Kuntal in Ammertal in late autumn.

More information about the sculpture and the artists is available at www.sichtung.info.
Information about MSE Kunsthalle can be found at www.mse-kunsthalle.de.
Information about the Flossenburg memorial is available at www.gedenkstaette-flossenbuerg.de.

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