Gütersloh celebrates 200 years: Creative paste-ups bring history to life!

Gütersloh celebrates 200 years: Creative paste-ups bring history to life!

A very special art event is currently being prepared in the heart of Gütersloh that will bring the city's history to life. To mark the 200th anniversary of Gütersloh, the facades of some striking buildings are getting a creative upgrade. The initiative, known as “Paste-Ups”, was launched by the artist duo Mannstein & Vill and is being implemented under the leadership of Lilian Wohnhas in collaboration with the city archives. July 2023 will not only be a creative month, but also a historic one for the city.

Large-format works of art are created that are not just decorative, but are deeply rooted in the history of the respective places. The motifs are based on historical images, photos and documents and are printed on poster paper. Using special glue, these impressive works are attached to the facades, creating an eye-catcher that ranges from small format to full-length. The exhibits will be on display until October 2025 and will then be removed without leaving any residue, creating a kind of “snapshot” of the city’s history that is both art and memory.

Art with a story

The locations of the paste-ups are diverse and include, among others, the Avenstroths Mill, the Volksbank building, the city museum, the district music school and the city hall. Visitors to Gütersloh can not only experience the connection between art and history, but also actively participate in it. A flyer with a city map and explanations of around 20 locations will be available from the end of July. This makes it easier to artistically discover traces of the city's history.

The official opening will take place on Monday, July 21st and will include a walking tour that will give visitors an overview of the entire art event. Gütersloh Marketing also offers themed tours of the paste-ups, which take place from the end of July. A tour that promises interesting insights over a duration of 1.5 hours will take place on August 30th and September 20th. Tickets are available for 8 euros (reduced 6 euros), either at the tourist information office or online.

Art in public spaces

Gütersloh is not the only city with creative art projects in public spaces. Wolfgang Meluhn is also causing a stir in East Westphalia. He has created large paintings that function as interventions in four different locations. These works are intended to bring painting into dialogue with unusual environments so that it not only depicts but becomes part of the landscape. Meluhn aims to address the subjective perception of the viewer and redefine the relationship to the environment. His most recent work, a huge painting entitled “Outside the Door”, can be admired at the VHS Gütersloh until July 2, 2023, although the catalog for his painting project is also available and documents the creation process over a year and a half.

With these artistic actions, Gütersloh and the surrounding cities place an important emphasis on the importance of art in urban space. It shows once again: art not only enlivens facades, but also people's cultural life. So stay tuned and get inspired!