Zur Mitte hin / Towards the Center

The 1994 construction of the new Kaarst city center included the Rathaus, business center, community center, and Stadtpark with lakes. With this in mind, Martel Wiegand and Dr. Helmut Blochwitz, who were in charge of the project at the time, were inspired to use the city’s Kunst-am-Bau funding for a sculpture park at the heart of the city center rather than a single large sculpture.

As a result, a total of 23 art stelae and a kinetic water feature appeared in the cityscape. Set atop stelae, the works represent a cross-section of different artistic approaches since the 1990s. Some of the works are experimental, others more traditional; there are kinetic and static works. Some of the artists are known nationwide, while others are associated with the town of Kaarst and the surrounding region. As such, the collection is highly diverse.

The strict alignment of the artworks along specific axes is based on a fictitious star constellation designed by the artist Wolfgang Kliege. Even at that time, the project’s conception foresaw art stelae being erected in all of Kaarst’s districts, starting with the city center. In fact, the concept has been continuously expanded to the present day, with stelae also being erected in the districts of Büttgen, Holzbüttgen, Vorst, and Driesch. To this end, new methods of art sponsorship are being explored, such as cooperation between medium-sized local companies and artists. For example, the first art stele outside of Kaarst was made possible by sponsorship from the Splettstößer Gallery in Kaarst. The artwork, Der Rabe / The Raven by Anatol, was installed November 2009 at the Vorster Bürgerpark. Numerous other art stelae have since been realized or are in the concrete planning phase.

Reference: www.kunst-kaarst.de