Stadtecho

Even the ancient Romans believed that every place is characterized by its own spirit, which affects it and the people who live there. The Norwegian architect and theorist Christian Norberg-Schulz, for example, addresses the "spirit of place" in his work "Genius Loci. Landscape, Living Space, Architecture" and describes being as a connection between people and place through spatial orientation and psychological identification. The famous Swiss architect Valerio Olgiati subtly defined what underlies this spiritual concept: "Feeling the essence of the place. Every place has its own state of mind, its own particular identity, characterized by the adjacent uses that flow through it, by the people who visit it and enliven it. Characterized by the traces of the past. The place is bound, not transferable, just as architecture cannot be copied or transported. The place determines what it can bear. Everything is already given, already there, it has to be absorbed, translated into other signs, made visible."

Artist in Residence Ekaterina Schneidmüller, invited by ORTE, also refers to the genius loci with her art project "Stadtecho", which aims to explore the "connection between the historical soul and the living pulse of the city of Krems an der Donau".

Using an interdisciplinary approach, Ekaterina Schneidmüller will visualize the relationship between nature, history and architecture in Krems through historical analysis, graphic sketches and interactive workshops with local residents. Her approach also refers to Guy-Ernest Debord's concept of 'psychogeography', which examines the influence of the architectural or geographical environment on perception, psychological experience and behavior.

In her artistic installation, which combines historical city maps, contemporary drawings and sound recordings, as well as personal perceptions of residents, Ekaterina Schneidmüller invites visitors to feel the 'breath' of the city as a metaphor for its vitality and spiritual depth: These elements then merge into a lively dialogue between past and present, nature and architecture," says the young artist about her project.

Ekaterina Schneidmüller (*1995) studied architecture in Moscow and then moved to France. Since 2020 she lives in Germany. In her projects, the artist combines philosophy, art and the practicality of architecture. She has been involved in the development of new concepts for architectural objects and research into the historical, social and cultural environment of cities, and has developed urban solutions to improve the quality of life. She is also active in the fields of cinema, theater, performance and illustration.

The event is free of charge. Please register at office@orte-noe.at

Please note that photos will be taken at the event and used for public relations and documentation purposes.