eva afuhs

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outdoor design at the st. pölten sportwelt noe (formerly regional sports school)

The piece 'Quadrant' is situated in a very large open space, a space which can be regarded as being on a par with well-tended natural surroundings. The size of the available area makes it possible to develop a hermetic overall concept, the theoretical aspect of which is based on the notion of sports competition, although it is manifested as an entirely self-sufficient element. The piece has an intellectual connection with the space: it is a guest and discussion partner and feels comfortable in its surroundings. My art is to be experienced as an autonomous element of the entire complex within the overall concept; each quadrant can be viewed as an independent hermetic artwork in itself. The work reflects the purpose of the centre. Athletes from all nations come together for a common reason. The challenge that sports present (the Herschenberger granite, a light grey stone quarried in the Waldviertel in Lower Austria), the refining of techniques (the process of working the stone, which ranges from simple breaking, to using a jigsaw, to polishing on the lathe), the diversity of sporting disciplines (the objects: round slabs, blocks, columns, trapezoid), competition and the mutual measuring of top achievement (the confrontation of the objects, their relationship to the complex and the trees) – all of this has led the athletes to this place.
(Eva Afuhs)

Architects: Wolfgang Mistelbauer, Ekkehard Krainer