NEWSLETTER

© art-public

PetuelPark was built over an 1.5 km section of expressway. This project by the municipality of Munich dates from the late 90's. The space gained by the coverage of the expressway was allocated for a public garden, as requested by the neighbors. The park reunites two neighborhoods: Schwabing and Milbertshofen, which were previously separated by the expressway. The 7.4 hectare park includes green spaces and in the center of the park, a pavilion with a coffee shop and an exhibition center. Petuelpark is more than just a place to walk. It is also a meeting place open to all inhabitants of Munich.
According to a new and original approach by the municipality of Munich, Petuelpark was one of the first projects designed by a landscape architect and an artist working together. The artist plays the role of an artistic director and an art consultant preparing a public art program for commission. It was indeed anticipated at the outset that artists would be invited to do permanent public art works which would give a contemporary image to this new park.
Artist Stephan Huber was chosen by the municipality of Munich to work with landscape architects Jühling + Bertram. He directs a program to conceive artwork in relation to the place - a park located over a road - with work we often find in public gardens and urban open spaces in European cities, such as statues, fountains, kiosks, urban furniture. The artists were given a free interpretation and revisitation of these different components.
The artists invited to participate in the Petuelpark program were: Bogomir Ecker, Harald Klingelhöller, Hans van Houwelingen, Raimund Kummer, Aribert von Ostrowski, Roman Signer, Pia Stadtbäumer, Rodney Graham, and Dietmar Tanterl. In addition, three other artists: Barbara Bloom, Alexandra Ranner and Kiki Smith, create integrated works into the pavilion (coffee shop + exhibition gallery) designed by the architect Uwe Kiessler located in the central area of the park.
Petuelpark was officially opened in 2004.