Venus am Tegernsee as messenger of the art exhibition

Splinter-naked, a Venus on the Tegernsee attracts attention.

The bronze sculpture by Otto Wesendonck is a harbinger of the Tegernsee art exhibition.

Tegernsee

- You don't actually ask women about their weight.

But in the case of the Venus von Tegernsee you can ask its creator: “It weighs about 220 kilos,” reveals Otto Wesendonck.

So your BMI would go far beyond the obese area because it is life-size.

But not of flesh and blood, but of bronze.

"And bronze has a lot of weight," says the Waakirchen sculptor and laughs: "That is heavy metal."

On Monday morning, his Venus von Tegernsee moved into the Länd lake complex on the Alpbach rondel.

A large Stang truck crane was used during erection and was operated by Wesendonck's crane operator.

He doesn't trust anyone with his ladies or other work.

The construction went smoothly.

"That happened quickly," says Wesendonck, "at half past seven it was picked up from me in Waakirchen, still wrapped and wrapped up, and at half past eight it was already standing." As it were, as God or the sculptor created it.

Venus announces the Tegernsee art exhibition

The bronze sculpture heralds - like the stone sculpture "Eternity" by the Valley sculptor Tobel at the town hall - of the Tegernsee art exhibition, which opens on September 18, 2021.

In order to create a bridge to the Tegernsee Week, which this year will mainly take place outdoors, festival organizer Birgit Halmbacher-Höplinger has initiated that the art exhibition in the old switch house with a few objects goes out into the open and also turns the city into a stage: with three Sculptures.

For Wesendonck, the withdrawal of the pandemic is coming to an end.

“It was a quiet time,” says the sculptor, “now, thank God, it's getting livelier again.” The studio visits, which are an important basis for his income, had to be canceled for many months.

"People want to see it in person."

Lots to do in the foundry shop

The artist was therefore not inactive, the furnace in his workshop was glowing: he used the time to pour a lot.

Also ten casts for his adopted daughter Antonia Leitner from Reichersbeuern, who is also a sculptor and is currently preparing the exhibition for the Lenggries artists' association.

Venus von Tegernsee also saw the light of day in the workshop of the 82-year-old honorary citizen of Waakirchen.

Venus is closely linked to the sculptor, whose works are in the USA, Finland and Italy, and his adopted home Waakirchen: The model was a granddaughter of the farmer from whom Wesendonck once bought the farm where he has lived and worked since 1968 which not only became his workshop, but also his home.

Also read: From Chagall to Kaspar from Brandner: “Long Night of Art” at Tegernsee

Until the end of the Tegernsee art exhibition on October 3rd, Venus will serve as its messenger to the Länd, looking over the Schuler towards Wiessee.

Wesendonck believes that a place that would have been made for a sculpture garden.

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