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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain in Duisburg, Germany by Heike Mutter and Ulrich GenthDecember 8th, 2011 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth Lately, the sleek curved shape of a rollercoaster highlights widely visible the highest peak of the park-‐like designed Heinrich Hildebrand Höhe in the South of Duisburg. The dynamic sweeps and curves of the construction inscribe themselves like a signature into the scenery and soar till the height of 21 meters. From a distance the metallic glossy track creates the impression of speed and exceeding acceleration. Viewed from close up, the supposed lane turns out to be a stairway which, elaborately winding, follows the course of the rollercoaster. The visitor can climb the art work by foot. Although the course describes a closed loop, it is impossible to accomplish it as the looping emerges to be a physical barrier. On top, at the highest point of the sculpture – 45 meters above ground – the visitor is rewarded with an extraordinary view over the landscape of the Western Ruhr.  Photograph by: Guido Erbring
 Photograph by: Mutter Genth “Tiger and Turtle” refers with its immanent dialectic of speed and deadlock to the situation of change in the region and its turn towards renaturation and restructuring. While the sculpture conveys an absurd twist regarding the inherent expectation of the image created by a rollercoaster, it reflects its own role as potential trans-‐regional landmark which will be inevitably pocketed as image. It counters the logic of permanent growth with an absurd-‐contradictory sculpture that refuses a definite interpretation.  Photograph by: Mutter Genth With 44 x 37 meters base and 21 meters construction height the sculpture is not only one of the largest in Germany, but also a masterpiece of engineering. Especially the draft of the stairs (developed in collaboration with Arnold Walz) consequentially and elegantly winds along the three-‐dimensional shape that is in every spot different and therefore harbours a so far never accomplished challenge.  Photograph by: Mutter Genth Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth create together artistic projects in public space and exhibition venues since eight years. Their works are site-‐specifically and contextually developed and reflect in a manifold way the conditions of publicness. Since 2007 the artist duo lives and works in Hamburg where Heike Mutter holds professorship at the Hochschule für bildende Künste.  Photograph by: Mutter Genth Tiger & Turtle - Magic Mountain  Photograph by: Mutter Genth  Photograph by: Mutter Genth  Photograph by: Mutter Genth  Photograph by: Werner J Hannappel
Contact Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth
Categories: Entertainment Centre, Public Landscapes |
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