“We will definitely continue”

Created: 08/03/2022 13:02

By: Hanna von Prittwitz

Don't be fooled: Juliane Seeliger-von Gemmingen (left) and Tanja Schmalzl from the Sculpture Association in Wörthsee with the smeared work of art.

© Photographer: Andrea Jaksch

Once again, unknown persons have vandalized works on the sculpture path in Wörthsee.

The spokespersons of the Sculpture Trail Association do not back down, however.

"We're going on," says Juliane Seeliger-von Gemmingen - and recruits members.

Woerthsee

– It only took a good week before the “spindle” by the Raistingen artist Max Mirlach on Birkenweg was demolished.

Before that, strangers had stolen Axel Wagner's traffic signs and knocked over Marianne Schweigler's concrete figures on Seglerweg (we reported).

For a change, a grease gun was at work on the sculpture trail at Wörthsee.

"Cracks" adorns the base of the work of art "Saat" by Peter Heesch in bright green letters at the bathing property on Wörthseestrasse.

Wild doodles can be seen on the back.

And the foundation of the angler's heart on the Rossschwemme in Walchstadt bears the saying: "I am the morality, the life, the happiness of the world."

In a press conference at the lake, the deputy chairwoman Juliane Seeliger-von Gemmingen and graphic designer Tanja Schmalzl reported on the events.

And what's to come.

The Sculpture Trail in Wörthsee has existed since 2019.

"Art in public space, as far as the sea can reach" is the motto.

17 works of art are now lined up.

Reactions to the work have been mixed.

"The few critics are the loudest," says Tanja Schmalzl.

"But I think there is an enjoying, silent and tolerating majority." Mayor Christel Muggenthal supports the project.

"That also applies to the majority in the municipal council," says Juliane Seeliger-von Gemmingen.

Which incidentally has no problem with discussions about art: "That's part of it."

However, the regular destruction is annoying.

"For me, the key is that the association grows and that we have a stronger position locally with our ideas," says Seeliger-von Gemmingen.

"Now for some we are just the few Hansel who put up works of art somewhere." Seeliger-von Gemmingen finds it courageous that the artists give up their works for the sculpture trail.

"Of course they already know what they're getting into." Although Schmalzl is surprised that the sprayers, who also consider themselves artists, attack the works of others: "I would think that they have respect."

The club would like to talk to the perpetrators.

"But of course they don't care," says Seeliger-von-Gemmingen.

It is based on young people who walk along the lake to the S-Bahn, often under the influence of alcohol, and who feel strong in the group.

Then the bookcase on Seglerweg would be set on fire and all the bicycles on the S-Bahn would be deflated.

The former municipal councilor Elli Unverdross, who lives very close to the bathing area on Maistraße, claims to have observed a group of young people last Wednesday who also looked cheekily over all the garden doors and obviously had nonsense in mind.

"I was about to call the police," she said in an interview with Starnberger Merkur.

Max Mirlach had ventured a communicative attempt at the overturned spindle and recorded the development of the spindle on a sign with the postscript: Thank you for the redesign.

Strangers would have reacted with scorn and daubed his sign.

"That really hit him," reports Schmalzl.

On the other hand, the sculpture trail is also a kind of permanent exhibition and advertising for the artists.

Axel Wagner had already sold his traffic signs, and Marianne Schwegler's concrete figures were also to be sold to a couple from Frankfurt.

"Then they were torn down," says Seeliger-von Gemmingen.

Two more works of art are to be installed this year.

Marianne Schwegler has created a more robust concrete figure for the Seglerweg.

And at the Rossschwemme in Walchstadt a photo project is planned.

Interviews with the artists will appear on the website.

"Perhaps people will develop a better understanding when they know how a work of art was created and under what hardships," hopes Schmalzl.

The association has incurred around 1,000 euros in property damage so far.

The use of volunteers who help with the repair and installation of the works of art is much higher.

Fortunately, a sponsor was found for the spindle, reports Seeliger-von Gemmingen, the damage was around 500 euros.

She is fearless.

"We'll definitely continue." Anyone who would like to get involved in the Skulpturenweg association: A lot of information about the association and contact details can be found on the website Skulpturenweg-woerthsee.de.