Art at the Richard-Wagner-Hain
© Alexandra Ivanciu
Empty Niche at the Richard-Wagner-Hain
Empty Niche at the Richard-Wagner-Hain
At the Richard-Wagner-Hain, which is currently being renovated by the City of Leipzig, a platform for contemporary art is being created at the initiative of the Office for Urban Greenery and Waterways and the Office of Cultural Affairs. In the future, historic wall niches and display stands will be used to showcase site-specific art projects in rotating exhibitions.
The Richard-Wagner-Hain is characterized by complex historical layers. During the Weimar Republic, the public used the site as an outdoor swimming area. In 1932, under Leipzig Mayor Carl Goerdeler, a competition was announced for a Richard Wagner monument. The Nazis took up these plans, turned them into a monumental project, and appropriated the grove for ideological purposes. In 1934, Adolf Hitler laid the cornerstone for the “Richard Wagner National Monument.” Niches for reliefs by sculptor Emil Hipp, featuring motifs from Richard Wagner’s operas, were planned for the walls surrounding the grove; however, due to the war, these were never fully completed nor transported to Leipzig. With the construction of the new DHfK building in the GDR, the originally planned area was significantly reduced. Today, the grove is a vibrant public space used in a variety of ways by residents and visitors alike.
Once the renovation of the retaining walls and stairs on the east side of the Richard Wagner Hain is complete, starting in the fall of 2026, two display panels will be used to promote the planned pilot exhibition in the spring of 2027, following the completion of the paths, open spaces, and landscaping. The exhibition is being organized in collaboration with the “Stadtkuratorin Leipzig” program. Plans are in place to involve additional cultural organizations and institutions in the coming years.
For the pilot exhibition, Maya Schweizer (media art/photography), Frederike Moormann (performance/audio walk), and the Kubik collective were invited to engage artistically with the site and its various facets. Their projects will explore the site’s historical layers and offer perspectives on memory and its current use.
Berlin-based artist and filmmaker Maya Schweizer is developing a site-specific work for the historic walls of the Hain. Her artistic practice explores questions of history, identity, and memory, as well as the narratives inscribed in urban spaces.
Frederike Moormann takes an artistic approach to examining Richard Wagner’s musical oeuvre as well as his own political writings and public appearances, which strongly resonated with Nazi ideologies and contributed to the National Socialists’ problematic reception of Wagner. Through a choral concert and an audio walk, she brings to life the historical layers of the site, from the Weimar Republic through the Nazi and GDR eras to the present day.
The Kubik collective is developing interactive “reaction surfaces” that also incorporate the voices of the grove’s current users. To kick off the project in September 2026, there will be—in addition to the two visual installations—a performance series titled “Chor Kontra Monument.” All artistic installations are scheduled to be on view in April 2027.
The first phase of the project will begin in September 2026 with the performance series Chor Kontra Monument. The second phase of the project, featuring all artistic contributions, will open in April 2027.
Considerations on art and public space
Art in public space encompasses a wide range of artistic expressions found in urban environments and publicly accessible buildings. This includes not only sculptures, monuments, installations, and architectural art, but also temporary performances and actions, interventions, street art, as well as sound and media art.
Art in public spaces in Leipzig
This text provides an exemplary overview of the permanent, mainly historical projects relating to art in public spaces in Leipzig, explaining the themes they deal with and the debates arising from them. It also identifies some of the gaps in Leipzig's urban environment, i.e. perspectives and topics that remain largely invisible.
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