EMSCHERKUNST.2010 - Ooze 01

At first sight, the joint project Between the Waters – The Emscher Community Garden by Marjetica Potrč and Ooze Architects reminds you of an artificially created kitchen garden. The Emscher is connected with the Rhine-Herne-Canal symbolically and factually by a strip of ornamental and useful plants which is circa 150 meter long.

The installation deals with the primary characteristic of the Emscher island - the water in all its various conditions as wastewater, sewage, industrial or even drinking water. The process of transformation from waste water of the Emscher to industrial water of the Rhine-Herne-Canal is demonstrated by the art installation and its various stations.

A wetland for water cleaning (constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment) proves nature itself is capable of cleaning water. This water can be used for toilet flushing, or watering of fruit and vegetable plants in a community garden. Due to the use of UV filters, there’s also a drinking water supply available on location.

The art project by Marjetica Potrč and Ooze Architects presents a sustainable water supply because it uses only the water available on location - the Emscher water, the water from the Canal, and the rain. All single stations, for example pump shafts, the wetlands for wastewater treatment, water tank, fresh water filter are placed above-ground and make the way of the water traceable. So the project demonstrates the cleaning of wastewater by implementing modern technology.

This tangible presentation of the above-ground stations from the first step of water cleaning until the watering of a community garden may serve as a reminder for the visitors of the EMSCHERKUNST.2010 exhibition to understand and accept the use of modern biological sewage plants.

2003, architects Eva Pfannes and Sylvain Hartenberg started their office Ooze Architects, with offices in Paris and Rotterdam. They work in the crossover area of architecture and landscaping, between arts and design. Apart from several other international awards, they won the coveted Prix de Rome in 2006.

Marjetica Potrč is an artist and architect. She mainly deals with the problems of big cities and metropolises, their changing appearances and fringes.
She focuses on the mutual conditions of planned an unplanned developments and the autonomy of individuals or communities on the fringe of society. – Since her much observed participation in the exhibition „Skulptur.Projekte in Münster“ in 1997, the works of Marjetica Potrč have been exhibited worldwide. 2000, she was presented with the “Hugo Boss Preis”, awarded by the New York Guggenheim Museum.

photo (front): Between the waters - (c) Matthias Kiesel

Related videos:

• Emscherkunst.2010 - An inspection by the artists / Part 2
• Emscherkunst.2010 - An inspection by the artists / Part 3
• Emscherkunst.2010 - An inspection by the artists / Part 4
• Emscherkunst.2010 - The vision of the curator Florian Matzner
• Emscherkunst.2010 - Silke Wagner 01
• Emscherkunst.2010 - Silke Wagner 02
• Emscherkunst.2010 - M and M 01
• Emscherkunst.2010 - Wild island Gelsenkirchen
• Emscherkunst.2010 - Bridge cross Oberhausen

Channels: 

• Emscherkunst.2010