Manifesta 16 Ruhr: The legacy of postwar churches
Key takeaways
- In the wake of the destruction of World War II, about 1000 new churches were built in the Ruhr region, but today many stand empty.
- https://p.dw.com/p/5G7p NThe Liebfrauenkirche in Duisburg was consecrated in 1961 and deconsecrated in 2010.
- Under the title "This is not a church," the main program sees international artists designing commissioned works of art for 12 churches that have fallen out of use in Bochum, Duisburg, Essen and Gelsenkirchen.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
In the wake of the destruction of World War II, about 1000 new churches were built in the Ruhr region, but today many stand empty. Manifesta is exploring new ways to put them to use.
https://p.dw.com/p/5G7p NThe Liebfrauenkirche in Duisburg was consecrated in 1961 and deconsecrated in 2010. Today, it serves as a cultural and event center — and is part of Manifesta 16 Ruhr Image: Fabian Strauch/Funke Foto Services/IMAGOAdvertisement The 16th edition of Manifesta — the European traveling biennial for contemporary art and urban development — is taking place in the western German Ruhr region this year.
Under the title "This is not a church," the main program sees international artists designing commissioned works of art for 12 churches that have fallen out of use in Bochum, Duisburg, Essen and Gelsenkirchen.