Concrete boots, giant googly eyes, mirrored bunnies ...

October 2024 marked the centenary of GEWOBA’s founding – an anniversary celebrated over six months with a variety of activities. Among these was a collaboration with the University of the Arts (HfK) Bremen, the results of which are now showcased in a publication and four new art installations.

Public art and architectural artworks from different eras can be found throughout Bremen and Bremerhaven, including in GEWOBA’s neighbourhoods. However, information or knowledge about these works is not always readily available. To mark its 100th anniversary, GEWOBA commissioned the University of the Arts Bremen to document existing artworks, research their history, and design new site-specific pieces.

Publication “aktiv dran vorbei” Showcases GEWOBA’s Public Art

In 2022, students from HfK embarked on a project to catalogue the existing public art in GEWOBA’s neighbourhoods. The outcome of this intensive documentation is the publication “aktiv dran vorbei”. Featuring texts by, among others, Bremen based author Leyla Bektaş, and a carefully crafted design that turns the book itself into an art piece, the students have vividly presented the artistic diversity and history of urban artworks in Bremen.

This publication has been shortlisted for “Germany’s Most Beautiful Regional Books” in the Non-Fiction/Guides category, an accolade awarded annually by the German Publishers and Booksellers Association and the Book Art Foundation.

The project was supervised by Professor Andrea Rauschenbusch and Gregor Schreiter.

New Artworks

As part of the documentation project, around 100 existing artworks were described, with reflections on their impact and functionality. The students involved also developed their own concepts for new artworks. Four of these ideas were selected and realised to enhance the urban landscape of GEWOBA’s neighbourhoods. The projects were supervised by Professor Ingo Vetter, Ellen Blumenstein, and Ruth Lübke.

“Fortschritt” (Engl. “progress“) by Quin Maclennan: Two monumental concrete Doc Martens boots now grace a green space in GEWOBA’s Delfter Straße, Huchting. The 2.5-metre-high boots, modelled by the artist in a production hall of BWE-Bau Lem-werder, were decorated during a graffiti workshop with local youths.

Quin Maclennan, an HfK artist who lived in Huchting and often wore the very boots that inspired the sculptures, participated in various social projects for children and youth during her time there. “With my shoes, I want to symbolically give others the opportunity to follow in my footsteps and consciously leave their mark. I hope the work makes the surroundings an interactive experience and inspires young people to engage with big ideas and discover the joy of participation,” said Maclennan.

“Hasen” (Engl. “hares“) by Kaori Tomita: Seventeen mirror-polished stainless-steel weather vane hares have been installed on roof edges, corners, and entrances throughout the Osterholz-Tenever GEWOBA neighbourhood, aiming to become a new landmark for the area. The movable pieces create a reflective, dynamic addition to the quarter. Artist Kaori Tomita highlights the organic relationship between the “hares” and their environment: “They spin in the wind, blending with the colours of the sky, the greenery, the ground, and the walls, eluding the gaze of passers-by and shifting with the light.”

“Look” by Yuan Lin: A pair of oversized googly eyes now adorns the facade of the eight-storey building at Ludwig-Roselius-Allee 202 in Blockdiek. The slowly rotating pupils give the residential building and the square in front an expressive “face”. Yuan Lin explains: “The eyes are visible from afar and silently overlook the entire Blockdiek neighbourhood. They introduce a moment of humour to the functional architecture, something unexpected that brings a smile to everyone passing by.”

“Pauline” by Berit Riekemann: A life-sized bronze sculpture of a woman flying a kite now stands on a grassy space between buildings on Rainer-Maria-Rilke-Weg in Bremerhaven-Lehe. This sculpture symbolises the energy and daily life of the community. Berit Riekemann shares, “‘Pauline’ has a lot of me in it. I hope that people passing by interact with her, whether through a kind glance or critical reflection.”

These new artworks contribute to the project’s goal of enhancing the perception and identity of urban neighbourhoods, enriching them with contemporary public art.