Magazine

20191009 urbane kuenste ruhr holtgreve 0037 preview

Odyssey at Silbersee

by Vlado Velkov

Water is the essence of life. Water and culture already have something in common then. They also come together in this project blending nature and leisure; the exhibition at Silbersee takes place by the water, in the water, on the water and underwater. All the artworks were created for the water and visitors are invited to swim from work to work. The artists had the huge challenge of making works in and by the lake. Basic things like walls, a ceiling and a floor are missing and you can’t even rely on the water, since the water level varies.This uncertainty requires artists to rethink their methods and techniques and create works specifically for the project. An art project by the water is always a collective work. There are so many factors at play – the weather, storms, sun, wind and waves, ducks and fish. Unlike thewhite cube, the lake does not shut out the world; it lets it all in. During the day, it changes with the position of the sun and at night it reflects the moon, sky and stars.

Art and water offer a democratic experience. It is hard to gauge the social status of the visitors. This isn’t an exclusive event, it’s an inclusive one. The bathers are an important part of the exhibition and complete it with their actions. The dynamic nature of the surroundings and the spontaneous behaviour of the visitors develop the works in ways the artists can’t foresee.

The Silbersee’s history is both eventful and entirely man-made. 100 years ago, a prisoner of war camp stood where the bathers paradise stands today. Many of the prisoners were captured in the Battle of Jutland, the largest lake battle of the World War I. Captains and sailors were perhaps the first to dream of a lake here. The large camp had a theatre with 600 seats where artists from Paris and Glasgow used to perform; that was the beginning of cultural life at the Silbersee. After the war, the camp was torn down and trees planted in its place. Next, industrialists discovered the region’s silica sand deposits. The trees were cut down again and three lakes were dug out. A fourth one might follow. Today, the sand is shipped all the way to Asia and is the Silbersee’s true treasure. It is remarkable how this inviting lake manages to make you forget the systematic exploitation of nature and radical landscape changes.

According to the behavioral model of Homo Ludens – man at play – people develop their own experiences and abilities through play. Our time at the Silbersee will be a true Odyssey in which not the Olympian Gods, but nature takes charge.

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