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Walking tours in Münster

SculpTour: Modern art in the urban space

Münster is a city of art - as is proven by the relevant museums, exhibition sites, and the corresponding training schools of the city. However, it is also revealed by how naturally modern art is encountered in the urban space by citizens, guests, and tourists over and over again. Way more than 60 sculptures have found their place in the urban space by now, in particular as a result of the internationally noted SkulpturProjekte 1977, 1987, 1997 and 2007.

The citizens of Münster refer to the numerous sculptures in the municipal area with a sense of pride. The residents’ sympathy for “their” sculptures has also increased their awareness for older works that had often been positioned in their respective locations many years and decades ago, emanating impetuses and associations to open up new views on Münster's history and peculiarities, prompting dialogue, and setting new perspectives to urban spaces again and again.

Correspondingly, the Aasee panorama would be incomplete without the “three billiard balls”, the Giant Pool Balls. But also the will-o'-the-wisps in the cages on St. Lamberti's spire and the cherry column by Thomas Schütte have become - presumably as intended by the artists - so natural already that the cityscape just cannot be imagined without them any more.

Here are a few sculptures in the city centre that you will encounter in closest proximity around the Prinzipalmarkt:


Eduardo Chilida: Toleranz durch Dialog (Tolerance by Dialogue)

Eduardo Chilida: Toleranz durch Dialog (Tolerance by Dialogue)

increaseEduardo Chilida: Toleranz durch Dialog (Tolerance by Dialogue)

Chilida gives rise to a situation of dialogue in-between two steel benches. For this purpose, he has hollowed the two shapes made of massive Corten steel in a mazelike fashion. Beholders are granted head space to interpret the sculptures as being opposites between matter and void, gravity and lightness, openness and closeness. The Spanish artist sees the opposites coalesce harmonically into a relation of mutual tolerance.

Toleranz durch Dialog (Tolerance by Dialogue)
Platz des Westfälischen Friedens

Thomas Schütte: Kirschensäule (Cherry Column)

Thomas Schütte: Kirschensäule (Cherry Column)

increaseThomas Schütte: Kirschensäule (Cherry Column)

A shaped sandstone column rises from a concrete foundation bordered by sandstone. It consists of the three elements base, shaft, and capital which carry an oversized bright red pair of cherries. As explains the artists on the Harsewinkelplatz location: “I would just like to garnish this place visually with my cherry column.”

Kirschensäule (Cherry Column)
Harsewinkelplatz

Otto Freundlich: Aufstieg (Ascension)

Otto Freundlich: Aufstieg (Ascension)

increaseOtto Freundlich: Aufstieg (Ascension)

Stone-like, bulging shapes piled up on the pedestal seem to grow, pushing upwards. The painter and sculptor Otto Freundlich modelled the surfaces of the individual elements by troweling little clay lumps. In this manner, the surfaces appears animated, emphasising the plasticity of the bronze work. Otto Freundlich employed cubistic forms such as, for example, appear in the works of Pablo Picasso.

Aufstieg (Ascension)
Maria-Euthymia-Platz

The complete “SculpTour” for printing out:

Discover art in the art space

A walk or a bicycle tour to the sculptures is part of the leisure programme in Münster. This has lately been facilitated by a novel, extended "Sculpt(o)ure Guide" that opens up the paths to select works from the city centre up to the outskirts. It can be obtained for EUR 1 from Münster Information at the Townhouse 1 or in the historical town-hall, providing brief information on the select sculptures, five exemplary tours by foot, bicycle, and car as well as information on guided tours concerning art in the urban space. These informative texts have been drafted for both residents and guests of the city. In this way, you can explore Münster as a city of culture in a unique manner.


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