A new Facebook / Sculpture record 535 share it and 1366 like it for the Time guards „Wächter der Zeit“ by Manfred Kielnhofer

This image was made in the atelier and theater at the castle Schloss Steyregg in Austria.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=519292231429851&set=a.389190021106740.112630.337671456258597&type=1&theater

http://kielnhofer.com

It sounds like a title of a old episode of Star Trek, but the town of Kassel in Germany has been invaded by a group of figures known as the Guardians of Time. Kassel holds an art exhibition every five years but despite an offer from the artist the Guardians of Time were not invited. Yet, these mysterious beings do not, it seems, need a summons from mortals. They chose to walk where they wish.

The artist, Manfred Kielnhofer, a world renowned Austrian painter, sculptor and Photographer, did indeed offer his work to the Kassel art exhibition, known as Documenta (now in its 13th installation as it were). Yet for whatever reason his proposal was turned down.

Instead, the sculpture was installed on Friedrichsplatz in the ‘Occupy Kassel’ camp after curators rejected the artists wish to have it included in the exhibition – which includes over 300 exhibitions by artists from all over the World.

301 if you include Kielnhofer, pictured left, who is according to certain Kuriositas ladies the best looking artist on the planet. Objectifying the artist aside, the Guardians will be on site until the end of the art festival which concludes on 16th September 2012 and will spend their time traveling around the vast Documenta area, popping up at the numerous venues spread across the city.

The Guardians of Time take the form of empty, sometimes illuminated shells which take a form akin to a monk (though, of course, that is open to your interpretation). They have been place on the Friedrichsplatz so that they can be seen by all who visit the festival but they have been seen all around the town.

The Guardians may look a little daunting, scary even. Yet never judge by appearances. They have a somewhat subversive sense of humor.

Tourists and dogs alike seem to love them – but silliness aside they do have a message.

Kielnhofer created these starched resin and fabric cases and asked the world to make of them what it would for a reason. It is a call to people to make a change and to live with thought, with steady deliberation. The Guardians of Time ask people to remember things which are not forgotten but are not spoken about.  They form, as should we, a type of gestalt of remembrance.

To learn more about Manfred Kielnhofer, please visit the artist’s website.
Unless otherwise stated all photographs here are courtesy Manfred Kielnhofer.
http://www.kuriositas.com/2012/08/ManfredKielnhofer.html

Occupy Kassel “Documenta City” – Mystical contemporary art sculptures by Manfred Kielnhofer

The Guardians of Time by Manfred Kielnhofer are issued in the Documenta city Kassel. You can see the mystical sculptures on different public places in the Docuementa city for 100 days. Most of the images were made on Friedrichsplatz in the “Occupy Kassel” camp.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Kassel/205468782856892

Manfred Kielnhofer’s The Guardians of Time Installation Is Currently Occupying Documenta In Kassel

Manfred Kielnhofer‘s ‘The Guardians of Time’ are an illegal installation currently on show at Documenta 13 in Kassel, Germany. The sculpture was installed on Friedrichsplatz in the ‘Occupy Kassel’ camp after curators rejected the artists wish to have it included in the exhibition – which includes over 300 exhibitions by artists from all over the World. The Guardians will be on site until the end of the art festival which concludes on 16th September 2012 and will spend their time travelling around the vast Documenta area, popping up at the numerous venues spread across the city.

Here’s what the artist had to say about the work:

In the past, the the Guardians of Time, took care of the people, now I think there are already too many people. He would prefer to take care of the world that is destroyed more frequently by men

http://www.mutantspace.com/manfred-kielnhofer-guardians-time-installation

http://kielnhofer.com
http://timeguards.com

Kassel. Manfred Kielnhofers (45) Skulpturen in rot leuchtenden Kutten waren ein Hingucker im Occupy-Camp vor dem Fridericianum. Nun mussten die „Wächter der Zeit“ weichen und stehen auf einem Balkon in der Landgraf-Karl-Straße.

Wachen nicht mehr: Die „Wächter auf Zeit“

Während die Occupy-Aktivisten behaupten, die documenta-Geschäftsführung habe sie aufgefordert, die Skulpturen zu entfernen, verneint dies die Pressestelle der d13. Wir wollten von dem Künstler wissen, was er im fernen Österreich von dem Vorgang mitbekommen hat.

Warum mussten die Skulpturen verschwinden?

© nhManfred Kielnhofer

Manfred Kielnhofer: Dazu gab es von Seiten der documenta keine Rückmeldung an mich. Ich wurde nur von den Occupy-Aktivisten, die sich um die Kunstwerke kümmern, informiert, dass documenta-Mitarbeiter sie aufgefordert hätten, die Skulpturen wegzuräumen. Ich denke, dass es eine Aktion gab, bei der Kunstwerke entfernt wurden, die keine documenta-Kunstwerke sind. Weil ich erst nur eine Figur vor dem Fridericianum aufgestellt hatte, war dies wohl zunächst nicht störend. Es wurde als Dekoration des Camps geduldet. Als es fünf Figuren wurden, war es wohl ein bisschen zu viel.

Ärgert sie das?

Kielnhofer: Nein, das ist okay. Nur für die Occupy-Aktion finde ich es schade. Mir gefallen die Ziele von Occupy. Bei einer ähnlichen Aktion hatte ich die Wächter vor dem Reichstag in Berlin aufgestellt – übrigens auch ohne Erlaubnis. Auch dies wurde geduldet. Es dauert auch einfach zu lange, auf eine offizielle Genehmigung zu warten.

Was passiert nun mit den Kasseler Skulpturen?

Kielnhofer: Vorerst bleiben die Skulpturen bei dem Aktivisten. Aber wir werden sie noch öfter aufstellen, zum Beispiel bei einer Demo gegen die Kasseler Rüstungsindustrie am 31. August. (bal)

Quelle: mydocumenta