2023

auf Anfrage zugänglich

Grundschule an der Waldmeisterstraße, Waldmeisterstraße 38, 80935 München

300 handmodellierte Fliesen aus gebranntem Ton mit farbiger Glasur, verschiedene Größen

Architecture: Planung: wulf architekten, Stuttgart, Objektüberwachung: Fischer Projektmanagement, Leipzig

Landscape architecture: Lynen & Dittmar Landschaftsarchitekten- Stadtplaner, Freising

Photos: Christoph Mukherjee

Text: Bernhart Schwenk

A row of many faces, most of them facing front, gaze at us from the wall of the stairwell. Many are gathered here, in more or less compact groups. Arranged in sweeping curves, the faces follow the stairs as they turn, accompanying schoolchildren, teachers, and visitors to the school like a choir of voices, as they ascend or descend.

Each face is individualized, with countless details to discover: tiny eyes, goggle eyes, narrow noses, broad noses, open mouths, thin lips, curls, strands of straight hair, side parts. With some, only the back of the head can be seen.

All types of people can be found, but unlike the good and bad characters of fairy tales, they reflect a diverse society with all of its unique qualities and contradictions. Whether a face looks pleasant or not depends on the eye of the beholder.

The heads are of ceramic tiles made by hand by different people before they were glazed, one by one, then fired and fitted together to form a mosaic-like relief. The act of collective creativity is in line with Gelitin’s work methods, since the group conceives and executes their works together. Those doing the work included guests, friends, children, and visiting artists, who kneaded the clay and glazed the faces. This way, everyone is connected through the work process and the finished work of art. Each person and thing is part of a whole—no one stands alone there. Above all, however: all stand for all. Because only this can prevent the existence of outsiders.