How does a neighbour town of Hanover, in the year 2000, cope with the challenge of contributing someting "exceptional" to the cultural marathon expected to be organised and to take place in and around the state capital? And how will it do so without being too pretentious and without arousing any expectations which, in the end, cannot be met because its offer will not even reach its visitors?

After all, the Programme offered at the EXPO site is intended to keep visitors engaged far into the nights. Any guests accomodated in Braunschweig will retum here only after nightfall - when museums will long have closed their doors and open-air events will have finished their final encores. Spectacular yet unpretentious, reserved yet vivid and conspicuous " brainstorming soon focussed on one medium that would meet these requirements: Light.

So the idea was born to create a "Lichtparcours 2000", a show course of light, which will ailow the town to appear in an undreamt-of atmosphere. But whoever is indined now to think of laser effects, multivision shows or illuminations of historical buildings is quite mistaken. The "Lichtparcours 2000" is an exhibition of contemporary art in urban space created by international artists the scope of which is unparalelled in the Federal Republic to this date. The title "Lichtparcours 2000" focusses on and incorporates a peculiarity of the topography of Braunschweig's town centre, which is located on an island of the river Oker. Whoever visits the town centre of Braunschweig will usually without even noticing - cross one of the numerous Oker bridges in order to set foot on that island.

So the intention of the show course is to revitalise these Oker bridges which, in public awareness, have often become reduced to nothing but traffic routes. In the winter of 1998/99, 23 sketched suggestions submitted by nationally and internationally renowned artists were exhibited. Following the exhibition, efforts were made to raise funds to finance the project. The efforts were successful and 13 Sponsors found.

The visitors' suspense is justified: Among the project participants whose ideas will be implemented are such fine-sounding names as Daniel Buren, Esther Shalev-Gerz or Fabrizio Plessi. It is through the generous commitment of regionally and nationally operating enterprises that the "Lichtparcours 2000" will eventually become reality.

On 3 June 2000, the "Lichtparcours 2000" will be opened in a ceremony taking place with dusk falling on the town, and then - in the true meaning of the word the lights will go on at the Oker bridges. But how can the visitor see and experience this extraordinary exhibition under the open sky without getting blistered feet? Well. the solution is as unusual as is the very show course. All through the summer, lighters - i.e. broad >boats seating about 30 enthusiastic visitors - will be starting from two centrally located landing stages to go up and down the river Oker. Guided by well-informed arts experts the visitors, sitting comfortably. will be introduced to the secrets of these works of art and their creators while gliding slowly down the river. The tour will take about two hours.

Whoever should feel that this is a bit too slow after all will naturally have other options. The western section of the Oker embankments, with a great number of installations set up in close succession there, will invite all those to take a nice summer walk who would like to see just one or the other bridge. And whoever wants to enjoy the landscape, for once, in a more Asian rather than typically European way will find a >rickshaw ride just the right thing. But no matter which way of discovering you may choose. they all will offer you a chance to combine both the pleasures of art and relaxation in the surrounding of an idyllic landscape.

Dr. Anja Hesse, Kulturinstitut Braunschweig


Imprint

Herausgeber: Stadt Braunschweig, Der Oberstadtdirektor, Kulturinstitut ©2000
Projektidee und Gesamtleitung: Dr. Anja Hesse, Kulturinstitut
Konzeption des Okerparcours: Prof. Gerhard Auer, Braunschweig
Kuratorium:
Prof. Gerhard Auer (Braunschweig),
Prof. John Armleder (School of Arts, Braunschweig),
Jean-Pierre Bordaz (Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris),
Hans-Peter Conrady (Kulturdezernent, Stadt Braunschweig)
Prof. Michael Schwarz (President of School of Arts, Braunschweig)
Projektsteuerung: Büro IHP, Harden und Partner (Braunschweig)
Berabeitung und Redaktion: Stadt Braunschweig, Kulturinstitut
Englische Überstzung: Sigrid von Starck
Gestaltung Print: Gingco Werbeagentur (Braunschweig)
Gestaltung Web: Gingco New Media (Braunschweig)

You will obtain more detailed information (no booking!) on the "Lichtparcours 2000" from the Kulturinstitut der Stadt Braunschweig, Steintorwall 3. 38100 Braunschweig, or by phone 0531 / 470-4822 / 4845 or by fax 0531 / 470-4809.

>info@lichtparcours.de

Artists participating in the project: Thomas Bartels, Ulrike Böhme, Daniel Buren, Jürgen LIT Fischer / Peter Brdenk, Yvonne Goulbier, Daniel Hausig, Kazuo Katase, Yann Kersalé, Christina Kubisch, Vollrad Kutscher, Antoni Mikolajczyk, Fabrizio Plessi, Esther Shalev-Gerz.