The Sculptures / Information – Kunst am Moltkeplatz KaM e.V.

Gallery of Permanent Sculptures

For a gallery of clickable pictures / links of the permanent sculptures see here.

Gallery of Temporary Sculptures

For a gallery of clickable pictures / links of temporary sculptures see here.

These temporary works have been put up within the series „junge Kunst am Moltkeplatz / young Art at the Moltkeplatz“ which was started by KaM e.V. in 2010.

Brief information on the sculptures ensemble Moltkeplatz

In early 1982 Friedrich Gräsel’s Hannover Tor / Hanover Gate ‒ made of annealed stainless steel ‒ was erected by the Essen gallery owner Jochen Krüper († 2002) as the first work of art on the sculpture park opposite his gallery house and family residence at Moltkeplatz 5. Subsequently, a sculpture ensemble was gradually set up which was specifically completed within the Material and Space / Material und Raum project initiated by Jochen Krüper and Uwe Rüth in 1990/1991. The press reported on this with an NRZ article dated 22 Dezember 1990. The emergence of the ensemble is described in great detail by Uwe Rüth as the first part of the KaM Brochure published in 2017. Various artworks from this 1990/1991 project have since decayed and had to be dismantled and removed. Since 2011, the ensemble consists of seven permanent works … and ‒ additionally, for limited periods of time ‒ one temporary work.

The sculptures and their locations are aligned with the layout of the Moltkeplatz and the pattern of the 100 years old plane trees lining the park.

More information on the KaM Brochure of 2017 here; for an English language text-only version see here.

A walk around the sculptures at the Moltkeplatz

With the exception of Lutz Fritsch´s EIN•STAND / MONO•POLE, which rises from a traffic island at the junction of Moltkeplatz / Ruhrallee, all other works are situated on the elongated green between the Moltkeplatz street and the railroad tracks on the other side. On the green, directly opposite Lutz Fritsch´s steel needle, one finds Ulrich Rückriem’s ohne Titel / untitled sculpture of Anröchter stone. If you walk around the green in a counter-clockwise direction, next is Gloria Friedmann´s Denkmal / Monument catching the eye: a dead tree, set in a tall concrete wall in bright crimson. Further along the footpath next to the railroad tracks, this is followed by Ansgar Nierhoff´s slim Paarweise / In Pairs twin stele of fired forged steel. On the other side of the park, in the corner facing the church – and aligned with it – Hannes Forster uses redbrick and mortar to tell Eine echte falsche Geschichte / A Genuine Fake Story. Walking back in the direction of the starting point at the traffic island, Friedrich Gräsel´s Hannover Tor / Hanover Gate made of annealed stainless steel is next, and finally, Heinz Breloh´s Lebensgröße / Life Size bronze torso.

Set in the lawn, and readable from the footpath, stainless steel signs of size 20 x 20 cm point out each art work (in German); for an example see here.

Sketch Map

click / touch the image for a larger display; *OpenStreetMap* here.

How to get to the Moltkeplatz … and other matters

For ways to get to the Moltkeplatz ‒ including maps and information on public transport ‒ and some miscellaneous items see here (in German).

Selected other Public Art Works in the city of Essen

For other selected art works in public spaces of the city of Essen – in the vicinity of the Moltkeplatz, or by artists present here – see here (in German).

Brochure KUNSTAMMOLTKEPLATZ on the Art Venue Moltkeplatz

A summary of the history and present of the art venue Moltkeplatz and its artworks ‒ both permanent and temporary ‒ can be found in the 52-page brochure KUNSTAMMOLTKEPLATZ: 10 Jahre Kunst am Moltkeplatz KaM e.V. ‒ 35 Jahre Skulpturenwiese Moltkeplatz / 10 years association Kunst am Moltkeplatz KaM e.V. ‒ 35 years sculptures at the Moltkeplatz, published by the association KaM e.V. in September 2017.

Dr Uwe Rüth ‒ director of the Sculptures Museum Glaskasten in Marl during the time of the ensemble’s creation ‒ contributed the article Das Moltkeplatz-Ensemble und sein Entstehen – Eine Hommage an Jochen Krüper / The Moltkeplatz Ensemble and how it came into being. A homage to Jochen Krüper. All other text is by Tankred Stachelhaus (with Frank Hirsch, Lisa Lambrecht-Wagenitz, Volker Wagenitz and Susanne Wolff contributing).

More information on the KaM Brochure of 2017 here; for an English-language text-only version see here. For entries on temporary works after the publication of the brochure see below.

The reason for establishing our association KaM e.V. was the planned removal of sculptures in 2006 with the threat of the sculpture ensemble being dismantled; more about it (in German) here.

Information on the association Kunst am Moltkeplatz / Art at the Moltkeplatz KaM e.V.

For an English-language text-only version of the 2017 KaM Brochure see here; more information on the 2017 KUNSTAMMOLTKEPLATZ brochure ‒ covering 10 years association Kunst am Moltkeplatz KaM e.V. ‒ 35 years sculptures at the Moltkeplatz ‒ here. Pages 41 ‒ 47 cover KaM here.

The full brochure (pdf, with images; in German) can be downloaded from here.

Entries on temporary works after the publication of the brochure in 2017 are added as loose leaves; see below (partly in German):

on Banquet Group 2 / Bankett Gruppe 2 2018 by Phung-Tien Phan here,
on Atlanten 2020 by Christian Odzuck here,
on Bernehain 2022 by Anys Reimann here.

Additional English-language information:

about KaM here,
support KaM here,
contact KaM here,
membership application form here,
KaM bylaws here.