Ai Weiwei, Daniel Buren, Tomás Saraceno and many others at EMSCHERKUNST 2013

EMSCHERKUNST 2013 kicks off with internationally renowned artists

June 24th, 2013

EMSCHERKUNST 2013: Tobias Reberger's footbridge "Slinky Springs To Fame" over the Rhine-Herne-Canal near Schloss Oberhausen. photo: Roman Mensing

The international art exhibition EMSCHERKUNST takes place for the second time after its successful start two years ago in the course of the European Capital of Culture 2010. In six cities along the Emscher river, artworks by internationaly renowned artists will be shown until October 6.

Names such as Ai Weiwei, Daniel Buren, Tomás Saraceno, Michael Sailstorfer, Anna Witt or Elin Wikström are included. The curator Florian Matzner, who was curator of the previous edition already, sees the exhibition as a future workshop für the region. The parcours spreads over 47 km² along the Emscher river and it spans over six towns of the region: Gelsenkirchen, Essen, Bottrop, Oberhausen, Duisburg and Dinslaken.

The interest of the requested artists to engage themselves with the places along the Emscher was huge. “Unusual opportunities to exhibit, like industrial facilities, residential complexes, in the nature, but also in hidden and forgotten places between Gelsenkirchen und Dinslaken represent the variety of this region“, said Florian Matzner. Guidelines of his curatorial concept include “art & participation“, “art & ecology“, “art & (landscape) architecture“, aswell as „art & landmarks“. Matzner adds: “Compared with conventional exhibitions in public space, EMSCHERKUNST.2013 is a future workshop for the region. Structural change is discussed and encouraged by art.“

EMSCHERKUNST 2013: Daniel Buren "The sun in the tunnel, work in situ, 2013", Möllerbunker, Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord. photo: Roman Mensing