Memories
The memories ( suitcase word from memory and ring) are a two-part bronze picture by the artist Elke Tenderich-Veit on Lavalplatz in Mettmann , which was set up in 2004 on the occasion of the 1100th anniversary. It is a growing work of art that relates to both the historical and recent history of the city. This work of art in public space is intended to preserve the common memory of the citizens of Mettmann. The sculpture is located in the city center in close proximity to the historic old town of Mettmann.
description
The work of art consists on the one hand of a base, which stylized represents a tree that has been sawn off at a height of about 1.20 m above the ground. The horizontal cut surface with a diameter of approx. 1.50 m symbolically shows annual rings on which some of the events from the history of Mettmann are listed. The upper edge of the “ tree stump ” is surrounded by an approx. 15 cm high bronze ring, the last reminder, on which four events from the previous year are immortalized as a keyword. The inscription is made at the beginning of the following year after voting by the Mettmann citizens and remains on the base for one year.
The expired annual rings are archived next to the souvenir base on top of one another. Since 2004, a growing monument has been created as a kind of sustainable chronicle of the recent city history. There is an explanatory panel right next to the “archive”.
backgrounds
The carrier and organizer of the growth process is the city marketing working group "Neanderthal-Stadt Mettmann", whose spokesman Bernd Günter came up with the basic idea for the concept of memories.
Which four events are applied to the respective rings is determined by the Mettmann population. The citizens of Mettmann have the opportunity to make their own suggestions for the most important events. From the submitted suggestions and their own ideas, the city marketing working group "Neanderthal-Stadt Mettmann" compiles a list of ten suggestions from which the population selects four in January of the following year via the Internet, the local press or in writing.
The costs of the annual rings are borne by private sponsors who either have their headquarters in Mettmann or are connected to the city in some other way. The Mettmanner Souvenirs are the only work of art of this kind in Germany, if not worldwide, and are supported exclusively by the voluntary work of the city marketing working group “Neanderthal-Stadt Mettmann” and by sponsors.
Web links
- Website of the city of Mettmann on the memorials
- Website of the city marketing working group "Neanderthal-Stadt Mettmann"
Individual evidence
- ↑ Westdeutsche Zeitung of July 21, 2010
- ^ Rheinische Post of April 6, 2009
- ↑ Rheinische Post of June 28, 2008
- ↑ Rheinische Post of July 22, 2010
Coordinates: 51 ° 15 ′ 1.4 " N , 6 ° 58 ′ 35.3" E