Diplomatic World_69

THE SCULPTURE WILL PROVOKE A LOT
OF PEOPLE AND THAT’S GOOD!
A large handbag with two long legs is the new sculpture of the
internationally-acclaimed Austrian artist Erwin Wurm. But it is not
just any handbag, it´s a Birkin bag from the luxury brand Hermès,
which costs EUR 8,000 and above.
The work with the title „Walking bag“ is four meters high, made
of bronze, patinated and varnished orange and is standing on its
feet right at the entrance of the city.
The sculpture was inaugurated on September 4th, in the
presence of the following speakers:
• Walter Smerling, chairman of the Bonn association
“Foundation for Art and Culture“, Bonn
• Birgit Schneider-Bönninger, head of department for sport
and culture oft he city of Bonn
• Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, deputy chairman
of the FDP parliamentary group.
The first reactions of some people in Bonn make it clear that
there is a lot of talk about this art object! The accusation that it is
a sexist or misogynistic sculpture is heard.
“Foundation for Art and Culture“, which brought the work of art
to Bonn with private funds.
The Foundation actively promotes art in the public space at its
domicile through its „Bonn Art Project“. Since 2014 a work has
been commissioned each year for Bonn´s „urban museum“. To
date sculptures by Markus Lüpertz, Tony Cragg, Bernar Venet
and Stephan Balkenhol have been installed around the city. The
fifth sculpture is „Walking bag“. Until 2030 further works for
the public space are to be created. It remains exciting, let´s get
involved with the works of art!
Text: Dr. Marion Agthe
Dr. Marion Agthe was born in Bochum. She studied Art History,
Archaeology, Pre- and Early History at the University of Bochum
and received her PhD in Art History. She is a publicly and sworn
expert for contemporary art and works as a freelance art historian.
She had a lot of curatorial projects and published essays with
the focus on contemporary art.
In fact, the legs are obviously in pants and also end in boots that
are more reminiscent of hiking boots. It can be a man or a woman!
„The whole thing is an abstraction. Man is reduced here to a
bag and legs“, says the artist.
Critiquing consumerism is one of Erwin Wurm’s recurring themes.
From his often critical perspective of our paradoxical world, he
focuses particularly on human weakness and obsessions. I am
showing a person reduced to her accesories. Handbag and
shoes. This may appear paradoxical, but our reality is far more
bizarre than can be conjured by any absurd perspective. It is not
our imagination which is the problem, but reality itself“, explains
Erwin Wurm.
Art in public space is always a confrontation. Public art is direct,
challenging and controversial. At the heart of a community´s
social space the artist is making a statement which is visible to
all. A highly individual statement, which automatically provokes
approval and rejektion. Yet viewers cannot avoid this art. And
irrespective of their response to it: they will form an opinion.
“The work of art makes you think and you can interpret a lot into
it. The sculpture will provoke a lot of people and that´s good“,
believes Walter Smerling, the chairman of the Bonn association
© Erwin Wurm VG Bild-Kunst Bonn, 2022 - Photo: Daniel Biskup
© Erwin Wurm VG Bild-Kunst Bonn, 2022 - Photo: Daniel Biskup
216 217