Concrete art in Cologne: Why a car became a monument to eternity

Concrete art in Cologne: Why a car became a monument to eternity

What does a car from 1960 do at the Hohenzollernring in Cologne? The answer is simple: it is part of the artwork "dormant traffic", created by Wolf Vostell. This extraordinary concrete sculpture not only commemorates a vehicle, but also reflects the social challenges of the 1960s. As the number of approved cars in West Germany from 4.5 million in 1960 exploded to 9 million in 1970, the urban planners reacted with the concept of the "car -friendly city". But what was left behind was often a deterioration in the quality of life in the urban rooms.

Vostell began his project in October 1969 in Cologne Domstrasse, where he was captain in Beton Goss. On October 2, 1969, there was the first public announcement, followed by a complex process that documented the embedding of the car in concrete. A video records this creative act and today attracts the eyes of the passers -by. His idea was to present the work of art in a "parking row"; However, this met with split reactions among the population. Many criticized it as a traffic obstacle, which ultimately led to the sculpture to leave its original location because the regulatory office did not accept the loss of parking space.

an impressive piece of history

1989 the 15 -ton sculpture found its new home on the Hohenzollernring, where it has since been considered one of Cologne's most famous works of art. "Resting traffic" is not just a sculpture; It also stands for the transformation of mobility and consumption and is valued by the city's art lovers. As early as 1970, Vostell created a similar installation called "Concrete Traffic" in Chicago, which concreted a Cadillac Deville from 1957. Both works address the conversion of movable objects into immovable monuments and contribute to the discussion about our way of life.

The continuous interaction of art with urban space is more than just aesthetic. According to the analysis of the Schader- Foundation Accessible, it also appeals to people who are little interested in art. Vostell's work is an example of dealing with the social issues of the city and encourages you to think about the individual way of dealing with art.

The fate of "resting traffic"

Wolf Vostell’s “During the Traffic” not only stands for a past era, but continues to ask you to question your own mobility and how to deal with the urban space. Because in the end the question remains how much space we want to create for art in the cityscape. Wikipedia has summarized this when both art and the place are in constant change.