"Projekt Pausenhof ("project playground")" 2003

Justizvollzugsanstalt Bremen Bildhauerwerkstatt

Sculptures, ceramic, concrete, freestone, different sizes

The sculpture-studio of the penal institution in Bremen-Oslebshausen consists of two different studios, where teenage and adult prisoners regularly hold down artistic work.

The sculpture-studio was founded in the course of the program “art in public space” in 1978. It is the result of a nationwide competition “art projects for social locations”. The prize winner, Siegfried Neuenhausen, was a sculptor and professor at the art academy in Braunschweig. He conducted the studio in the years between 1978 and 1981.

The main idea of this project is to not see the artistic work of the prisoners as a therapy but as paid employment.

Generally three to four professional artists work together with ten to fifteen prisoners. The finished sculptures become positioned in public space.

In 1997 the association „Mauern öffnen e.V.“ was founded, which took over the sculptor-studio.

The sculptures will be installed permanently in public areas, particularly in welfare institutions and playgrounds.

The sculptures are located at the “Bürgermeister-Smidt” primary school in “Contrescarpe Bremen”. They were built under the leadership of Holger Voigts and Martina Benz in collaboration of teachers and students.