XXL-Sculpture "Optimist"

Since the 1980s, Hörl has continually explored the figure of the garden gnome as artistic material. Thus, numerous sculptures and installations based on this basic motif have been created since then.

One example is the "Optimist." On the initiative and invitation of the city of Wertheim, Christian Schlager, castle and city center manager, and in cooperation with Bernd Maack, chairman of Stadtmarketing Wertheim e. V., conceptual artist Ottmar Hörl developed the participatory art project "FLASHMOB" in 2020 with a large number of "optimistic" garden gnomes in the historic old town of Wertheim in order to spread more optimism with a wink in times of the Corona pandemic and to encourage people to become part of the project. Two years later, Wertheim's city marketing department commissioned him to create a three-meter-high large-scale sculpture in monochrome blue for the square in front of the County Museum. In the meantime, "optimists" from Wertheim are conquering more public and private spaces, humorously reflecting the astonishing power of positive thoughts.

Text: Eva Schickler M.A.

View "Optimism to Go" in the Shop
View "Optimist" in the Shop
View Project "Flashmob"

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XXL-Sculpture "Optimist"

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