Stadtwache in its natural habitat

Free exhibition space, 24 hours and no ideas.
Excellent preconditions to create a piece of art.
So you sit down under the sun and wait for the inspiration to pass by.
And it literally did.

Linz was and still is a place of great controversy regarding security issues. A new security service – Ordnungsdienst aka Stadtwache – was introduced on 1st September in Linz. Its primary task is to oversee the city’s regulations.
In the run-up to the introduction of the new personnel the opinions of politicians of different parties and civil rights campaign clashed.
One side insisted that the new personnel is necessary and will enhance the security situation noticeable – this side is the represented by the FPÖ mainly. The other side is expecting no change at all and just approved of it – that is the SPÖ. And last but not least the civil rights movement see it as a waste of money and a reawkening of ~70 years dead groups.

Personally, shortly after I came to Linz, I was surprised by the strong presence of police all around the city and never felt threatend during day or night. Thus I was surprised to understand that the city plans to introduce an additional security service.

So while my colleague Ves and me were sitting and thinking what to put into a totally dark and dead-end room for the exhibition, the freshly implemented Stadtwache passed by…

Our comment on Linz’s security issues. The piece was exhibited October 2010 in the Open Exhibition by antikuratorium, Apothekerhaus, Linz