Hartung | Trenz

The Museum of Applied Art in Cologne (MAKK) is located on the site of the former Minorite monastery. Its four wings enclose an almost square inner courtyard analogous to the former cloister. On its west side, near the museum café, there are still restored late gothic triple windows. On its southern side, the Minorite Church rises behind a one–storey museum extension.
Vis a vis in the north, the glazed façade of the spacious entrance hall of the museum. An interior, built for the presentation of mainly modern design exhibits, is juxtaposed with the exterior façade of a historical building, on which applied, fundamental construction and design principles of art and design history can be read.
In the work VIS A VIS by Detlef Hartung and Georg Trenz, the MAKK enters into direct communication with the Minorite Church. Vertical and horizontal lines, projected from the direction of the entrance hall, seem at first to scan the sacred building. The lines spread out into lines of text made of light. Quotations from artists, writers and scientists become readable. Condensed thoughts about creativity and design processes literally describe the church and interact with its canon of forms. Like an echo, the texts are reflected as fragments distortedly modulated by the architectural surface.
A proof of the timelessness of basic design elements and shapes and a plea for the creative and innovative design of the world.