Thursday, October 15, 2009
Art
Artist's Nazi Gnomes Occupying German Town
Posted
by Benjamin Sutton
on Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 12:19 PM
While the art world's eyes are trained on London and the
Frieze Art Fair, conceptual artist
Ottmar Hoerl has orchestrated a sneak attack in the town of
Straubing in southern Germany. The
Daily Mail reports that Hoerl's public installation "dance with the devil" (pictured) features some 1,250 garden gnomes painted black and gold doing the Nazi salute in the town square, and is intended as a commentary on the persistent fascist tendencies in German society. Hoerl told the
Mail: "The fascist idea, the striving to manipulate people or dictate to people ...is latently dangerous and remains present in our society." No word on how the townsfolk are living with the invasion, which remains on view through October 19. (
Artinfo)
Tags: Ottmar Hoerl, installation art, public art, Nazis, fascism, the latent creepiness of garden gnomes made all too real
