7000 Benches

7000 Benches elevates benches in public space to a cultural asset worthy of promotion and protection. The project encourages a new culture of “city-making from below”. Through various activities, we cultivate the collaborative building of benches by city dwellers. To add to the famous words of the godfather of social sculpture, Joseph Beuys: Not only is everyone a potential artist, but also a “bencher”.

7000 Benches has dedicated itself, not only by name, to a special urban good. Unfortunately, in many cities and especially in Vienna, benches are often searched in vain in public space aside from park areas. We elevate the bench in public space to a general cultural asset and encourage a renewed culture of “city-making from below” by cultivating the independent and communal building of benches by city dwellers through various actions. Thereby we are inspired by Joseph Beuys' idea of the Social Sculpture – the creation of a collective work through the interaction of a group of individuals. Not only is everyone an artist, but also a “bencher”. Beuys would certainly have agreed to this statement.

Time

June 2019

Team

David Grüner

Bana Sa’adeh

Raphael Volkmer

Links

www.7000bänke.wien