Germany / Bavaria. In June 2023, the artist duo VIDEO.SCKRE from Munich/Linz designed an enormous house façade in the tranquil Bavarian town of Landsberg am Lech in Germany. With a great deal of color, the two artists permanently enriched the cityscape with their brightly colored artwork of playful kingfishers on a 300m² façade.
Not far from the Lech, the river that divides the tranquil valley town into two halves, a new form of urban living has been under development for several years. The “Urbane Leben am Papierpach” is intended to combine living, working and culture and become a lively space. As part of an art-in-architecture competition, the 20-metre-high and 18-metre-wide gable wall of the “Sternradhaus” was put out to tender for urban art. VIDEO.SCKRE came out on top against more than 60 applicants.
About the Kingfisher mural by VIDEO.SCKRE
Kingfishers playfully entwine around a round peephole, which provides a view of the fauna and is divided by color in the lower half. While the lowest birds appear as if they are diving into the ground, a group meet in opposite flight in the upper part of the wall. The composition, with the circular form as the central structure, provides a view of the animal world, while the fauna, as peripheral elements, frame the artwork and reinforce the flow of the picture.
About the artist duo VIDEO.SCKRE
VIDEO.SCKRE, that’s Frederic Sonntag aka “SCKRE” and Julia Heinisch aka “VIDEO”. The artist duo combines a fictitious idea of fauna and flora on large-format murals and canvases. Their artistic approach follows the credo: not to see things as they are, but as we are. The decisive factor in this game is that you play it for no reason, that it must have no reason at all. In their artistic quest, which follows the play instinct, they see nature as a sanatorium. Its forms and their constant change are the basis of their work.
VIDEO and SCKRE are an artist duo that form a strong and inspiring partnership. They turn public space into their studio and use it as a field for experimentation. The artist duo draws inspiration from nature and from their travels, observations and experiences. This can also be seen in their routine collaboration, as they painted the 300m² house façade in four days – a masterpiece in terms of speed and realization. Urbanauth wanted to know more and asked the duo a few questions about their personal approach to urban space:
Three questions to VIDEO.SCKRE
How would you describe your relationship to the urban space?
VIDEO.SCKRE: “Our relationship to the urban space is that of a playground. A constant interplay of input and output, a collection of impressions and co-creation.“
Can you tell us more about your relationship to art?
VIDEO.SCKRE: “Art is two kinds of things, on the one hand it is a process (a) and on the other hand it is a product (b).
a: As in music, art is created in the moment of creation, the rest is a testimony to its act.
b: It creates new relationships between material and immaterial things and does not reproduce. An artist is thus a medium that bears a certain responsibility; at the same time, a work must be able to endure outside its context and be strong enough to develop a life of its own.“
Can you say something about the motif of playing as a creative approach?
VIDEO.SCKRE : “We love freestyle as an approach to creating our artwork. Of course, we know what we can expect from each other, so it’s never a complete surprise what happens. But you allow yourself freedom within the process, which in the end helps the image and in the best case surprises you.“
About Landsberg am Lech
Landsberg am Lech is a picturesque town with around 36,000 inhabitants in Bavaria, in the south of Germany. It lies on the banks of the Lech river and is known for its well-preserved old town, the Lech weir at the “Katharinen-“bridge and the large wildlife park that runs along the river to the village of Pitzling. The town is famous for its historic center with narrow streets, pastel-colored house façades and charming squares, but as well its different medieval towers. The small town has a rich history and is a popular destination for tourists who want to enjoy the historic ambience, stroll through the picturesque streets and explore the beautiful surrounding countryside.
How did you like your stay in Landsberg? Were there any things that you particularly remember?
VIDEO.SCKRE: “Definitely the Lech as a dominant landmark. Of course the old town and the positive attitude of the locals.“