Location Center (Cologne)

Like pins marking specific points on a map, two tall signal-red steles denote the beginning and end of autobahn 555. Installed at the center of the traffic circles on either end of the autobahn, these two identical elements create a link in the observer’s visual memory, connecting the cities of Cologne and Bonn.

While the artist has already installed several formally minimalist landmarks to highlight aspects of the landscape or urban space, the Cologne / Bonn sculpture stands out for being particularly multifaceted: First, it accentuates the transport infrastructure of the oldest German motorway, which starts and ends with a traffic circle.

On top of that, it illustrates the special historical connection between the two cities, while also drawing attention to the interconnectivity of the region in general: “An awareness of the other part of the sculpture allows you to experience the spatial distance as closeness, sensing the sovereignty of the individual location as well the togetherness” (Lutz Fritsch: Standortmitte, ed.:Regionale 2010 – Agentur, Cologne 2005).