When the idea arose in 2017 of installing an art trail in the Upper Franconian area of the Main-Danube Canal, eight sculptors from four countries applied for the contract. Including Petra Lange (Treia / Italy), Cissy van der Wel (Utrecht / Netherlands) and Emanuela Camacci (Rome / Italy). Under the motto “Art encounters on the canal”, the Flussparadies-Franken eV association had the idea of setting up several works of art along the canal from Bamberg to Forchheim.
However, it took a while from the idea to implementation because the financing of the project first had to be clarified. After all, the eight projects are expected to cost just under 470,000 euros, including all ancillary costs. Now, four years later, there is so much money available that you can start with the first sculptures. The project started with the three artists who are currently creating their works at Martin Scheuermann in Kleinrinderfeld. By 2025, all works of art should then enrich the canal and change the view.
Separating and connecting is the theme
The common theme of all art objects is “Connect / Disconnect”. The objects are set up along the “Regnitz Cycle Path”. So everyone can comfortably cycle along the canal embankment and discover art in the process, says the flyer that the association created to promote the project. Just as the Main-Danube Canal connects the people and animals that live along the canal, but also separates those who live on the other side of the canal, the art objects should also be designed.
At a meeting at Sassanfahrt Castle near Hirschaid, the sculptors devised their works for a specific location along the canal. In addition to the three sculptors mentioned, Michaela Biet, Adelbert Heil, Günther Holder, Bob Budd and Angelika Summa from Würzburg will also create sculptures for the Kunstweg. The inauguration of the first three works of art will be on September 17th.
Gray and blue shell limestone is used
That means a lot of work for the three sculptors in Kleinrinderfeld in the coming days. For their works they have chosen gray and blue shell limestone, which comes from the surrounding quarries. The blue shell limestone has been neglected for a long time, reports company owner Martin Scheuermann. It comes from a quarry near Gaubüttelbrunn, which is called “Kaisersteinbruch”, because many works of art made of shell limestone, which Kaiser Wilhlem II had made, are made of this special material.
Emanuela Camacci was immediately enthusiastic about the material that supports the very special charisma of her work of art. The sculpture called “Between” will ultimately be around 2.5 meters high, similar to that of Cissy van der Wel, who prefers gray limestone for her work “Take Root”. So freely translated, remember your roots. Petra Lange wants to create a “water flower”. It is important to her that her sculptures have a haptic effect. People walking or driving past the work of art can lie down in the water flower, feel it and come to rest.
But the time has not come yet. Preparations are still ongoing. The Scheuermann company provides the three women with a hall so that they can create their works of art dry and detached from everyday life. “In the past we have had many artists with us who have created their works of art here,” says Dieter Glos. He mentions names like Paul Brandenburg or Hermann Döring. In addition to his actual work, he is the point of contact for the artists and sometimes helps with machines where manual work would be too difficult, for example when drilling the anchoring holes or sawing the cuboids for the works of art.
But otherwise it is mostly manual work that the three women do in the dusty hall. It will be a long time before the sculptures are finished, but all three are sure that they will be ready by the installation date. They love to work in Franconia and also support each other at work wherever it is necessary. You can really tell that they are delighted with their work. And the viewers of their sculptures should also have this joy when the finished objects are on the Main-Danube Canal.
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