Bid Farewell to the Routine Life in Neuwied
In the picturesque city of Neuwied, Germany, a unique exhibition has made its way to the city center, drawing in visitors from far and wide. The life-sized figure exhibition, with its roots traced back to the 18th century, has found a new home in the heart of the city, thanks to the "Future-proof Cities and Centers" funding program.
The exhibition, a testament to the city's rich history, is historically associated with the 1789 publication, Monument of Physical and Moral Costumes of the End of the Eighteenth Century, or Pictures of Life. This groundbreaking work, produced in Neuwied, aimed to depict people in realistic, life-sized forms, capturing both physical likeness and moral or cultural characteristics of the time.
The life-sized figures, part of this artistic and ethnographic effort, have been making their way across various cities over the years, building a dedicated fan base. In Neuwied, they found a warm welcome, blending seamlessly into daily life, exploring places like the Deichuferpromenade, market square, and pedestrian zone.
The Neuwied City Marketing department considered the exhibition a success, with the popularity of the guided tours resulting in the last one being able to accommodate two or three groups. Among children, the two ponies in the Goethe gardens were particularly popular. The figures also attracted many visitors from various cities, including Bonn, Essen, and Hamburg, who took photos and enjoyed the installations.
Two competitions were organized by Neuwied City Marketing: a photography contest and a photo rally. In the photography contest, participants were asked to submit the most beautiful and creative pictures of the life-sized figures, while in the photo rally, participants had to correctly match seven detailed images of different figures.
Nathalie Schneider, deputy head of Neuwied City Marketing, expressed satisfaction with the exhibition's response. After three months, the figures have moved on, having completed their tour in Neuwied. However, two "shower" figures will remain permanently in Neuwied and can still be found on the Deichuferpromenade.
The evaluation of competition entries will take place after the Deichstadt festival, not at the end of June as originally announced. Meanwhile, the City Marketing team is busy preparing for the Deichstadt festival, ensuring that the spirit of the life-sized figure exhibition lives on.
This exhibition in Neuwied serves as a reminder of the city's historic connection to life-sized figure sculptures and its role in the broader European movement to record and understand human diversity through sculpture and portraiture before the rise of modern photography and anthropology. It's a testament to the enduring appeal of these life-sized figures, which continue to captivate audiences centuries after their creation.
The exhibition, nestled in the heart of Neuwied, offers an intriguing blend of the past and present, embodying both lifestyle and home-and-garden settings as the life-sized figures explore various city spots, including gardens and public spaces. The enduring popularity of the figures has inspired Neuwied City Marketing to organize competitions, such as a photography contest and a photo rally, centered around these historic sculptures.
