Artistic-dicactic concept Re-Thinking Bismarck Reflections on Light and Shadow of History

The artistic-dicactic concept is an expression of an immersive culture of remembrance that stimulates a productive, critical discourse on various levels about the effect of the colonial-nationalist-ethnically charged Bismarck monument. The spatial light/shadow sculpture intertwines historical past with sensory present, marks relational interdependencies, and engages visitor:s in an immediate, low-threshold way through interaction with solar geometry.
Light and Shadow – Reflection, Change, Time. The object forms an overarching physical and artistic-philosophical roof for the mediation work taking place on site and the examination of Bismarck’s work, the historical context and the history of reception to date.
The urban planning dimensioning takes up the significance of the theme and the scale of the area as well as the location (monument object and park area) in order to create visibility and contextual connection. The object creates a long-distance and close-up effect and breaks with conventional expectations. The design language and surprising positioning trigger attention through irritation, thus questioning the massive presence and emotional impact of the monument.
The light/shadow object forms a roof and creates a microclimatic, sensually and cognitively stimulating space for diverse individual and communal, for analog, media and digital interventions, reflections and activities.
When viewed up close, the object forms an immersive time-space-light-human mesh that offers multi-layered levels of immersion and, through interaction with solar geometry, constantly tells of new things and allows new discoveries to be made.
A simple and large element whose roof, surface, pane blocks the incidence of sunlight and creates a walkable, playable space. This microclimatic space is darkened, colder than the surroundings; those who look up cannot see the sun. This break between outside and inside creates an immediate, low-threshold physical accessibility, sharpens instincts and senses, stimulates receptivity on a haptic and cognitive level. The interaction of shadow and light can be felt by everyone. It opens up spaces of sensation and understanding on a physical and metaphorical level, making the web of topography, history, absence, universality and sensory presence tangible.
A convex mirror in the light-blocking pane collects sunlight from the reflected environment and causes light rays or pools of light to travel across the floor or the dwell space for visitors:inside. Through these light movements caused by the mirror, certain historical moments can be made present.
The convex mirror creates connection/relationship between monument, object and visitor and makes the visitor part of the intervention – puts him in relation to monument, person, history, present, makes conscious these interdependencies and thus creates spaces for individual re-contextualizations.

The “distorted” image of the convex mirror of the Bismarck monument and its immediate surroundings opens up universal possibilities for reflection in the observation of persons and historical events.