A Sisyphus of Bremen

There's something in the water, isn't there someone floating in the Weser? As passers-by approach the Tiefer, they recognize that it is a figure surrounded by garbage floating downstream. It is the “Breman / Bremensch”, a temporary work of art that will be bathing in the water at the Tiefer 2 jetty until September 29, 2024. It was created by Mohar Kalra, an American artist who uses his works to explore in a poetic and humorous way how we are entangled in technological and ecological systems that determine our lives. He has already realized works in public space in Neeruti and Narva (Estonia), in Bschlabs (Austria) and in Bremen. He is currently studying for a Master's degree in Digital Media at the University of the Arts Bremen. The “Breman” was realized with the support of the Hollweg Foundation and the Senator for Culture.

Mohar Kalra on his installation on the Weser: “The ‘Breman’ floats in the river on the Weser promenade. As the river changes direction twice a day, 'Breman' always turns towards the oncoming current and swims against the current, like a Bremen Sisyphus. It carries with it a tangled nest of flotsam that was washed down the Weser at some point and coagulated into a primordial soup from which 'Breman' emerges.”

After all, Kalra continues, the city of Bremen, which has many faces, was also created from this water: “From the water, the ‘Breman’ sees both its future and its past. Driven by the currents, the figure is torn back and forth in an absurd negotiation with the energies of the river. The 'Breman' thus becomes a kind of companion in which we can recognize a reflection of our city and ourselves - each with their own view and their attempts to find a firm footing amidst turbulent currents.”

Buten un Binnen spoke with Mohar Kalra about the Breman. You can find the report here.