Peter Bohn: Kreuz_weiß
Gersthofen

Markus Ambach writes:
“In the summer of 2002, I rented a 1,200 sqm garden in the heart of Neuss‘ city center. It is characterized by old trees, lush vegetation, and a secluded, almost insular atmosphere, enclosed by an imposing wall that marks it as a typical hortus conclusus—a hidden oasis in the middle of the city, situated directly between the main train station and the shopping district.

From the outset, the days of this extraordinary enclave in the urban fabric were numbered. As valuable building land, it had long been slated for redevelopment, awaiting its inevitable demolition. The project was thus limited to three years from the beginning. Apart from the basic structure, all the key aspects described below were not meticulously planned but rather emerged organically over time, shaped by the duration of the project and my self-imposed role as a gardener.

A self-regulating space:
Unexpectedly becoming a gardener, I spent the summers of 2002, 2003, and 2004 creating a kind of summer banquet for artists, beyond conventional economic strategies, together with about 65 artists, architects, filmmakers, musicians, and many guests.

I invited colleagues to contribute works, concerts, lectures, meals, or other activities in the garden, transforming it into a meeting place and a space for dialogue. The central idea was to open a small, autonomous enclave within the urban environment, largely detached from the usual artistic, societal, and economic exploitation mechanisms—a space free from conventional hierarchies and expectations.“