Ludwig Stocker: Einrollen-Ausrollen (1978) / Interview with Ludwig Stocker
In this video we have a closer look at a true gem of art in public spaces. Created by the Basel-based artist Ludwig Stocker, the sculpture with the title “Einrollen-Ausrollen (1978)” (Rolling In – Rolling Out), is unique and fascinating in many respects. Ludwig Stocker’s work is located in a rather unusual place in Basel, Switzerland: right in the middle of a spiral pedestrian/bicycle footbridge with the highway on one side and allotment gardens on the other.
Here, where Basel’s execution site used to be, a bridge was built in the 1970s as part of the construction of the freeway to provide access to two parts of the city for non-motorized traffic. In order to overcome the difference in height and at the same time take up little space, a spiral bridge was chosen. To enrich the site with a work of art, Kunstkredit Basel announced a competition, which was won by Ludwig Stocker. Stocker created a vertical column made of Carrara marble as the center for the spiral walkway, with five elements that symbolize evolution.
We had the chance to meet up with the artist in his studio in Basel to get to know more about this artwork. In this video, Ludwig Stocker talks about how this artwork came about, the inspiration for the work, the unique location of the marble column, and the different elements of the piece. The interview was conducted in Swiss German, subtitles in High German and English are available.
Interview with Ludwig Stocker, Basel (Switzerland), June 28, 2024.
P.S.: After all these years, Ludwig Stocker’s sculpture is an amazing piece of art. It has aged extraordinarily well. Although not many people, even Basel residents, know about this work, it is definitely an artwork that deserves good care and (much more) attention. Those who know about it enjoy its oasis like character. Many thanks to Denise Bienz and Ludwig Stocker for the interview.
Here, where Basel’s execution site used to be, a bridge was built in the 1970s as part of the construction of the freeway to provide access to two parts of the city for non-motorized traffic. In order to overcome the difference in height and at the same time take up little space, a spiral bridge was chosen. To enrich the site with a work of art, Kunstkredit Basel announced a competition, which was won by Ludwig Stocker. Stocker created a vertical column made of Carrara marble as the center for the spiral walkway, with five elements that symbolize evolution.
We had the chance to meet up with the artist in his studio in Basel to get to know more about this artwork. In this video, Ludwig Stocker talks about how this artwork came about, the inspiration for the work, the unique location of the marble column, and the different elements of the piece. The interview was conducted in Swiss German, subtitles in High German and English are available.
Interview with Ludwig Stocker, Basel (Switzerland), June 28, 2024.
P.S.: After all these years, Ludwig Stocker’s sculpture is an amazing piece of art. It has aged extraordinarily well. Although not many people, even Basel residents, know about this work, it is definitely an artwork that deserves good care and (much more) attention. Those who know about it enjoy its oasis like character. Many thanks to Denise Bienz and Ludwig Stocker for the interview.
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00...
00:20Mr. Stock, thank you very much for taking the time.
00:24I thank you for your interest in this sculpture. I'm glad.
00:29Yes, I was really very fascinated by it.
00:34And one question is, did you design the sculpture specifically for this place,
00:42for the Führer's bicycle ramp?
00:45Or is this sculpture a replica?
00:49Yes, it was designed for this place.
00:53Based on the spiral shape of the bicycle ramp,
01:00I thought that the spiral shape could also be included in a sculpture.
01:10And that's why the sculpture has these volutes.
01:15And the second question is,
01:20there was a competition in 1976,
01:24which Kunstkredit Basel-Stadt wrote down,
01:27specifically for this place.
01:29And I was given the opportunity to do it.
01:32That's how it came about, yes.
01:36The place is also quite special.
01:38It is located directly on the motorway.
01:40On the one hand, you would think of concrete and so on.
01:42But on the other hand, it's green.
01:46So it's a pretty special place.
01:48It's almost like an oasis next to the motorway.
01:51Yes, yes.
01:52Actually, the design was based on the motorway.
01:58Because the motorway was finished here.
02:02And for larger buildings,
02:06we always invested a certain percentage in art.
02:12And that was now, in addition to the completion of this motorway,
02:16this place was chosen as a king, to do something like that.
02:27On the one hand, it is a pity that few people can go there.
02:32It is not very popular, this ramp there.
02:35No.
02:36Because this is actually a stretch of bicycle and pedestrian roads.
02:41So there is not much to go there.
02:43There are larger routes there.
02:45On the other hand, it is also a very special place.
02:48Because it is not always accessible.
02:52Yes.
02:53It is not always easily accessible.
02:55Yes, that's also the nice thing about it.
02:58That it is not necessarily in the spectacle.
03:05But for me, I am absolutely satisfied with this situation.
03:13Yes, I think so too. It's a luxury.
03:15Yes.
03:16I know few sculptures that really left such an impression.
03:24Sculptures leave their mark.
03:27Yes.
03:28The title, maybe, Ausrollen, Einrollen.
03:35Yes.
03:36It is also based on the ramp, on the rolling of the bicycle.
03:39Yes, yes.
03:40Exactly.
03:41Ausrollen, Einrollen.
03:43That's where the idea came from.
03:45Because a ramp, a spiral, has a double movement.
03:51On the one hand, it goes outwards.
03:54And on the other hand, it goes inwards.
03:56So it goes almost into infinity.
04:00Theoretically.
04:01But it goes into a very specific center where it stops.
04:05Yes.
04:06And that's why, in this situation of this sculpture,
04:15this is actually the center of the spirals.
04:19These spirals, as a pedestrian, had to end in the center.
04:26And then there is another factor.
04:33Namely, the spiral shape has seen a very long history in art history.
04:40As far as I know, it first appeared in Persepolis, in Persia, as a capital shape.
04:56And later, of course, it was recorded again and again, especially in the Greeks, in the capital.
05:05In the Romans, again.
05:08And then in the Renaissance, in the Baroque.
05:10A shape that can be seen throughout the entire art history.
05:16Both plastic and linear.
05:25In addition to being symbolic, it also has a historical background.
05:29The water.
05:32The water.
05:34Yes.
05:35It has to do with the fact that Zühle has,
05:41because of this shift, the same element five times,
05:45has a tendency, imaginarily,
05:51to the infinite.
05:59So to the infinite.
06:01You could go on forever.
06:03This is one thing.
06:05It already has this tendency in itself.
06:08And then I wanted to reinforce it with the water.
06:13This gives a reflection.
06:15So that on both sides,
06:18the unlimited comes to the representation of this Zühle.
06:25Yes, you notice that.
06:27Yes.
06:34Yes.
06:35But these are also factors that stand out in a closer look.
06:46Not just a hint.
06:48Yes.
06:49Exactly.
06:50Yes.
06:51It is also a topic.
06:54The spirals have a centre, as we said.
06:57And in the centre of these spirals, at these columns,
07:02there is a small motif.
07:05And it goes like this.
07:09It is elaborated very small.
07:12And it goes like this,
07:14that it actually points to the entire column of evolution.
07:21In the centre of these spirals,
07:25there are five different stages of evolution.
07:30The lowest is a mussel, which points to the water.
07:34The second is a crystal,
07:36to the crystalline.
07:40The third stage is plants.
07:43And the fourth stage is animals.
07:46And the fifth stage is man.
07:50You don't see them at all, but they are there.
07:55Yes.
08:19Thank you very much.