to the artists, designers and craftspeople who think I call their work kitsch... this is NOT the case, it refers to my own work

Jun 23, 2011

Jean Pirnay revisited...

A nice walk through the High Fens area, close to the German border.  On our way back, through a tiny village, we spot this alongside the road...


We do recognize immediately who made this...



although there is no sign next to this installation...


... the steel structure topped with heavy rocks...


no doubt this is Jean Pirnay, a local sculptor.






He has a special relation with rocks and stones...



view the related post at the bottom to discover more about this









Simply amazing how these heavy rocks stay on top.


Jean Pirnay's blog (in French)



related post
sculptures and installations - Jean Pirnay

Jun 21, 2011

Meanwhile back home - playing with wood



-4 glass kitchen drawers in mint condition found on a flea market
-wooden roller blinds, pieces from a door and shelves, all from our farm and in their original colours.
-4 carved oak legs for a chest of drawers (I got hold of some carved bits and pieces for furniture that was never built, pieces are in the pre-finished state which gives them a unique untreated natural 'roughness')


mise en scène...



btw... the mosaic mirror was made quite a few years ago with gorgeous damaged plates from the thirties.


I have 4 more drawers, so I can make a another similar one.


Wooden bits on all three sides.


details in Reclaimed Wood on right of blogpage.


related post


Jun 18, 2011

Illertal-Ost - Art along the motorway

Driving back north from Southern Germany towards Belgium.  Car needs petrol, legs need stretching and eyes want distraction...



Welcome to Illertal-Ost, a motorway rest-area with a twist.



Guarded by sculptures representing the figures of the Zodiac
























A Gaudi-like wall curves along the front.



Inside seperate rooms with different atmospheres ... photos of only a few of them




This large upstairs room has a spacious sundeck with lounge chairs!
























and even the restrooms are worth paying for...














Illertal-Ost by architect Herbert Maierhofer


Definitely influenced by Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Jun 17, 2011

last Bavarian impressions

Cosy Hotel in tiny village...



Nice local dishes in unique surroundings





Rosy cheeked angels next to ...



...creepy saints
I was somehow curious how this 'skeleton' became a saint - I found a link HERE, in German



Pulpit shaped like a ship (we're some 50 KM from the Alps, no sea within the next 200 or more)



More saints with broken and restored noses (no wonder he's looking sad)



Life size realistic wooden sculptures...







... and visions of hell.



More trompe l'oeil on the local former Monastery...



... with a very dark recent past. 
Over 2.000 psychiatric patients - adults and children - from this former hospital were used for medical experiments and killed between 1939 and 1945. 



A memorial on the former graveyard "to commemorate the silent victims of political tyranny"



One last walk reveals a peaceful village...



... with toy trains running in a garden...



... and bunnies in the hedge.




an open air sculptor's studio...



I've been trying to find out who it is...



... without result.



More - unintentional - environmental art.



Local beauties...



... on their sunday best.



One last look...



towards the Alps.

Bavaria is beautiful.