impark1 Olympiapark München

Thema: Ausgangspunkt ist das Attentat von 1972.
„space….between“: widersetzt sich der Wiederholung der Bilder der Vergangenheit.
„space….between“: ist ein Platz der Gegenwart und Zukunft.
„space….between“: gewidmet all jenen, die die tägliche Realität des Dialogs fortsetzen und auch gegen größten Widerstand weiterpflegen.

Ein öffentlicher Zwischenraum
für Gespräche
Begegnung
Ruhe
Reflektion
DaSein
Kontemplation
Konzentration
Aktion
face to face

1

Auf einem Feld (4,0 m x 4,0 m) stehen vier betonierte Bänke.
Das Feld und die Bänke sind durchgehend mit orangefarbenen Kacheln gefliest.

„Orange“: Farbe der 70er Jahre; eine der Hauptfarben der sogenannten heiteren Spiele“ von 1972.

„Fliesen“: Die deutschen Gaskammern waren gefliest. Die Fayencekultur im arabischen Kulturkreis.

Zwischen den Bänken entsteht ein Zwischenraum von ca. 2,30 m x 2,30 m. In diesem Zwischenraum werden die Fliesen auf einem Kreis von 1,80 m Durchmesser mit Texten bedruckt.

„Schrift“: Nicht das Bild wird gebraucht, sondern die Schrift als Zeichen und als Medium der Erzählung.

Der Platz wird so angelegt, dass die Spitzen des Quadrats in die vier Himmelsrichtungen zeigen und die Bänke somit in den Zwischenräumen zwischen den Himmelsrichtungen stehen. Verlassen der hierarchisch dominanten Haupt-Richtungen. Aufsuchen der Zwischenräume: Denkräume / Handlungsräume.

Inhalt des Mittelkreises ist gedruckter Text: Die weibliche Sicht von Frieden und Gewalt.

Aussagen von Frauen aus Palästina, Israel und Deutschland. Über ihre Wünsche und Vorstellungen zum Thema Frieden. Umgeben von dem Satz ìwe refuse to be enemies“ von Gila Svirsky und Sumaya Farhat-Naser in Arabisch, Hebräisch, Englisch und Deutsch.

„space…. between“ bietet mindestens zwölf Menschen die Möglichkeit sich zu treffen, sich zu unterhalten und zu ruhen.

Die Sitzflächen der Bänke werden so hoch gebaut, dass die Beine der Sitzenden in der Luft baumeln. Dies bewirkt eine größere Entspannung und hebt die Sitzenden gleichzeitig sanft in den Raum zwischen Himmel und Erde, zwischen Gedankenraum und Tatraum.

2

Ein zweites „Feld“ in einer leicht verschobenen Ost-West Achse in ca. 500 Meter Entfernung Richtung Westen.

Die Ausmaße von Feld 2 sind in einem fast sakral anmutenden Hain des Olympiaparks allein durch vier Grenzsteine in den vier Himmelsrichtungen markiert.

Feld 2: ein „Leerraum“, ein Resonanz-Raum. Die Betrachter finden Raum, ihre eigenen Gedanken sich einzuschreiben.

Dear Gila Svirsky:

… I „crossed“ your ways on my way to a new work.
I want to describe it in a few words:
I’m invited to an international art project in Munich in the park of the 1972 Olympic Games.
For me these Olympic Games are a symbol of the violence between Jewish and Palestinian people. And also for the German reaction: We do nothing, or if we do something, we do it the wrong way. So I didn’t want to repeat the images of the past. Instead, I had the idea to build there a place for people to come into a dialogue.
The title will be “ space…between“.
The place will be 4 x 4 meter, on the sides there will be 4 benches (for a maximum of 12 people to sit). The form of the benches reminds of simple altars.
The place and the benches will be tiled with floor-tiles in an orange colour.
In the space between the benches I want to print texts from Palestinian and Jewish women: Their thoughts and wishes about freedom and peace in Palestine.
I also would like to print the statement from you and Sumaya Farhat-Naser: „We refuse to be enemies“.
The text will be printed on the tiles in Arabic, Hebrew, English and German.
With this work I want to invite the people to think about conflicts and especially about the conflict in Palestine.
On the benches I would like to write the sentence:
„Thank you that I lost my innocence“ because in 1972 I was a young, politically left girl of the age of 15 – (and I really accepted violence as an instrument of „revolutionary“ political action). The day of the assassination I was in Munich and I realized nothing of what was going on.
So I really was politically innocent with all the views of the central European press (des )information. Like today most of the central European public seem to be ignorant / innocent to me.
And with this ignorance / innocence we only believe desinformation and don’t look at what’s really happening.
Now I’m 46 and I believe that only respect and acceptance will bring us forward in all these conflicts. And that it will be necessary to look clearly and without fear at each other. Even at the things that seem strange to me.
And I want to present a different point of view from those held by the „old men“,  who only play the old game of power, hate and desinformation…!
So I would be glad to include your thoughts in the place.
… And I want to dedicate my work to all women working for peace and understanding.
I send you my best wishes !
And thank you !!!!!
I’m looking forward to our further contact
Yours
Mariott Stollsteiner

Geschichte

Thomas Huber, freier Kurator und Publizist, München
Ausschnitt aus: Katalog: impark1

Ein ganz anderer Umgang mit Geschichte begegnet in dem zweiteiligen Werk »space….between« von Mariott Stollsteiner, die vom Attentat im September 1972 als einem der zahllosen Kristallisationspunkte des Nahost-Konflikts ausgeht. Den rein historischen Bezug schafft Stollsteiner formal über die Verwendung von für den damaligen Zeitgeschmack typischen orangefarbenen Kacheln, die ihre gesamte Installation aus Plattform und vier Sitzbänken zu Füßen der Olympia-Schwimmhalle überdecken. Genau zwischen die vier Himmelsrichtungen orientiert, umschließen die Bänke einen auf die Kacheln gedruckten Kreis aus hebräischen, arabischen, englischen und deutschen Texten von Frauen unterschiedlichen Alters aus Palästina, Israel und Deutschland, die von der weiblichen Sicht auf die Themen Frieden und Gewalt handeln. Auf den hohen Bänken verlieren die Sitzenden den Bodenkontakt. Die körperliche Entrückung verändert den Blick und lenkt das Bewusstsein von den Texten in neue Richtungen. Dieser Installation steht, wie eine Erinnerung oder auch ein Ansatz für zukünftige Dialoge, ein von vier Grenzsteinen markierter, identisch ausgerichteter Leerraum auf der Halbinsel am westlichen Teil des Olympiasees gegenüber. Nicht nur mit der Lesung von Frauen aus Israel, Palästina und Deutschland, die im Verlauf der Ausstellung an der Arbeit stattfinden wird, ist »space….between« ein realer Begegnungsraum, in dem die künstlerische Strategie gesellschaftlich orientiert ist, ohne deshalb von einem klar definierten Werkbegriff abzusehen.

1)

I am still very afraid of soldiers. Since I was small. I don’t know why. But I still have this fear: the soldiers are stronger as me, as us, they have weapons and they don’t need to have mercy. Even as you are very sick, they must not care, you need a permit to be sick and get through. A simple example: sometimes pregnant women cannot pass the checkpoint (babies are born on the checkpoint or on the road and died!) or really sick people who should have the right of treatment. Sick people ,pregnant women, I myself are not terrorists! I think, that Palestinian women all are ’somehow‘ afraid, if not for themselves (as I do), then they are afraid for their children and sons, they fear for their future. I myself are afraid of the future, what will happen with me and what will happen with my country, but, I hope, with the help of God and the people around us, we will have a future.

Khitam, 24, El Aizariyah

2)

So we are left with the lines drawn as follows: On the one side (roughly 30%) are the Israeli and Palestinian extremists, all working hard at perpetuating the misery of the other; and on the other side (roughly 70%)are the Israeli and Palestinian victims of their fundamentalist ideologies. These are the real lines of conflict in the Middle East: the coalition of the willing – the extremists on both sides – against the coalition of the unwilling – the moderates, which include those who have to take buses (not cars) or are standing in the wrong place as the helicopters pause overhead. What makes me furious is that we are in the majority, but our extremists, bound in a macabre alliance, are galloping together in a race toward each other’s death, and we are getting trampled in their madness. How much killing must there be before the sane majority has had enough?

Gila Svirsky, Coalition of Women for Peace, Jerusalem

3)

As the situation in the territories gets worse; as witnesses are barred from the scenes of violence; as political rhetoric raises expectations and then retracts them; our hopes still lie with the duet of the people, the lament caressed by quiet clapping, the Palestinians and Israelis who have kept their faith, who still reach out each other inside the pain and wait — and work together — for the lament to end.

Gila Svirsy, Jerusalem

4)

I believe in the power of women. Women are grounded in their awareness of the sanctity of all human beings. I believe we can work together for ending the occupation and that we can live in peace.

Zahira Kamal Sen. Official in the Palestinian Authority

5)

It all needs time, time, time. I wish that in the politically, superordinated context it will past very fast. But on the human level it needs time, time, time.

Anna Crummenerl, Cologne/East Jerusalem

6)

It’s time for “compassionate listening“

Anna Crummenerl, Köln / East Jerusalem

7)

On the way to the reconciliation we have to be open for the sufferings of others. Because we need their acknowledgment of our suffering, so that we can give them sufficient trust, in order to make the steps of reconciliation together

Sumaya Farhat-Naser, Birseit

8)

To learn to look into each other’s eyes is a peaceful attitude. If we are able to do this, it will be possible to dare talking to each other within a larger context.

Sumaya Farhat-Naser, Birseit

9)

To look into the eyes of others will challenge you to act. Love and concern about your own people and country urge us to co-operate for the well-being of both. Peace will never come through coercion or force. It has to grow in the conviction that this is the only way of surviving. We have to dare it, because we are worried!

Sumaya Farhat-Naser, Birseit

10)

Where we succeeded to at least address our conflicts even if we cannot solve them, this is where the potential is.

Sumaya Farhat-Naser, Birseit

11)

WHO are THEY? WHO are WE?

Is it not important to ask WHAT WE are? Humans, drinking water, breathing air and wanting to see the sky above us. And we all have the same sky above us…*

Young Palestine woman, East Jerusalem

12)

Peace is a utopia, hope, and illusion. Peace is the conception that one loves each other and looks after each other. Peace is more than armistice. Peace is paradise. Peace is a standstill. For the country I wish also a calmer time. Not so many differences between poor and rich. A more reasonable Israeli government and a Palestinian state and the hand-over of the Israeli settlements to Arab refugees.*

Ella, 84 years, born in Riga, has lived in Tel-Aviv since 1936

13)

Peace is impossible to achieve, because it is something so absolute, such a large entity. The most important is to the road to peace; to reach your own perfection and completeness. The intention and the desire alone are already of great importance. Peace the sympathy and the sharing of something absolute. *

Judith, 53 years, born in Tel Aviv, lives in Jerusalem

14)

Peace is justice and harmony. I wish myself that every man in the country could find out, what its contribution to justice and harmonious life between humans and between humans and nature could be.

* Marylene, 72 years, born in Alsace, lives in Al-Assariah, Westbank

15)

Peace is somewhat very beautiful between different people.

* Mariam,18 years, refugee camp of the Jahalin Beduins Al-Assariah

16)

Peace is my dream of living together with others in love.

* Amna, 25 years, 3 children, Jahalin Camp

17)

I wish to have a happy life with my family in a better home, with safe houses and a beautiful garden. I wish that we could move freely, where we would like to go. *

Khaula, 23 years, born in Ramallah, has lived in Jahalin Camp for 2 years

18)

For me peace is equal rights for all, to kill nobody and have no war. I wish myself a life in liberty, protection and security; without fear of a transfer. *

Ibtisam, 18 years, Jahalin Camp

19)

Peace is for me to have no fear of others. I wish myself a country, in which my children can to learn and have a lot of joy. I wish myself peace for the country and our own state. *

Mariam, 43 years, mother of 7 children, Jahalin Camp

20)

Peace is for me negotiating on the basis of love, equality and without control of others. I wish to change together the things of life a little. My happiness would be the common work of many on the success of a humane society. *

Audrey, 57 years, born in the USA, lives in Jerusalem

21)

Peace is a word with many colours. Today I see peace completely differently. The peace within me is increasingly more important. I see the connection between the inner and outer peace. One will not be without the other.

For myself I wish to overcome the continuously emerging difficulties with the implementation to live and learn independently and within our own responsibility.

For my country: That the responsible leaders in their political discussions have with good intention and desire for a peaceful life together with our neighbours and that they recognize and accept that we can live together. * Ginah, 66 years, born in Israel in the Kibbuz, 3 children, lives in Ramat Gan

22)

Peace is a utopia, a worthwhile goal, an untenable boring condition. I want nothing more. I got more, than I could imagine.

I do not want to say anything about my desires, since everything that I would say, would limit and narrow it at the same time. I am waiting for a miracle. And I know that it will happen. *

Ellen, 80 years, born in Berlin, 1936 driven out of Berlin, lives in Jerusalem

23)

Peace is a beautiful world, in which people can take each other’s hands and are able to love their foes. That is very difficult to arrange. It needs mercy and forgiveness – and people who are at peace with themselves.

I wish to live and work in peace together with the Israelis for a better world. I have so many dreams and I would like to reach more people from Israel to show them that in Palestine we also have people, who think

and act peacefully. I would like to visit my friends in the Kibbuz in Israel and speak with them. In my occupation I also would like the co-operation of Christians, Muslims and Jews. From my state in Palestine I wish the attention and support for children and women.

Samar, 42 years, Al-Assariah, Westbank

All texts marked with * have been collected at my request by Anna Crummenerl. Only due to her and the readiness of women to answer questions despite their difficult life situations created „space got….between“ the variety and depth of contents I hoped for.

M.S.