Ottmar Hörl’s sculpture installations in Salzburg: hundreds of miniature golden Mozarts are celebrating the 270th anniversary of the genius’s birth

In association with the International Mozarteum Foundation the world-famous German conceptual artist Ottmar Hörl has created one of his well-known figurine projects for the city of Mozart’s birth

A veritable army of miniature golden Mozarts is taking over Salzburg: with the installation Mozart – The Untamable Genius by the well-known German conceptual artist Ottmar Hörl, the International Mozarteum Foundation is joining forces with local townsfolk and visitors from all over the world to celebrate the 270th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadé Mozart. Made from a weather-resistant synthetic material, around 320 gold-coloured figurines some 50 cm (nearly 1 foot 8 inches) in height have been strategically positioned all over the town. In the Mirabell Gardens, for example, 230 miniature Mozarts occupy two narrow strips of grass near the Bastion and the Museum Pavilion. A smaller group of fifty figurines may be found in the Mozarteum’s adjoining garden as well as in the Tanzmeistersaal and the Magic Flute House in the Mozart Residence. The installation may be seen until the end of August and aims to make art available and accessible to everyone. This is a principle for which the artist is known all over the world – thanks, not least, to his sculptures.

Linus Klumpner, the CEO of the Mozarteum Foundation, says: “Last year we held an exhibition in the Mozart Residence showcasing the work of Jonathan Meese and we are continuing this series this year with an installation by Ottmar Hörl that provides a link between Mozart and the way in which contemporary art is created since Mozart’s works and his whole personality continue to be a source of inspiration for successive generations of artists, providing them with more and more new ideas. One feature of the present project is that it is not just taking place in museums and galleries but – thanks to the support of the municipal authorities – also encroaches on public spaces. This offers us a unique opportunity to engage with visitors from all over the world and inspire them with an enthusiasm for Mozart that extends far beyond the confines of the town’s museums. Hörl acknowledges a particular factor. Just as Mozart once broke free from the structures of the contemporary court in order to work as a freelance composer, so Hörl’s installation is part of the idea of post-war German art, an idea that allows everyone to be a part of the nation’s culture. The result is an inclusive approach to Mozart that treat visitors to the installation as equals.”

Ottmar Hörl is one of Europe’s leading conceptual artists. His aim is to enable people from every generation to participate in art and culture. Working closely with the authorities in many different towns and cities across Europe, he has created a series of installations that help to promote a sense of identity and to have an impact on public life. Many of these installations have been tributes to the outstanding work of significant individuals such as Wagner in Bayreuth, Beethoven in Bonn, Einstein in Ulm, Goethe in Frankfurt, Rimbaud in Charleville-Mézières, Brecht in Augsburg and Dürer in Nuremberg, Vienna and Daegu in South Korea. A pink Dürer-inspired hare on the roof of the Albertina in Vienna is currently causing a stir.

Mozart – The Untamable Genius

Ottmar Hörl has been thinking for some time about an art project that would involve Wolfgang Amadé Mozart. “Salzburg is the town where Mozart was born and so it is the ideal place to mark the 270th anniversary of his birth with a temporary art installation,” says the artist. The close link between Mozart and Salzburg is the basis on which the sites have been chosen and lends the project its special contextual depth. “This conceptual approach centres on Mozart’s output as a musician, while at the same time giving greater emphasis to his human side. Here music functions as a link and has a healing power,” Ottmar Hörl explains, “although it was not just music that played an important role in the lives of the Mozart family, so too did their beloved four-legged friend, a dog by the name of Pimperl that is mentioned in dozens of the Mozart family letters.” Mozart’s affinity with animals becomes clear in this way and so the serial figure depicts Mozart with a dog at his side. The monochrome gold sculpture shows Mozart in a dignified pose, his right hand stretched out in a gesture that is both relaxed and suggestive of a certain gallantry, while his left hand is placed lovingly and gently on the dog’s head as the creature nestles up close to him. “This concept is not about a classic memorial but is intended to set people thinking and serve as a model of communication, inviting viewers to engage in a discussion and talk to one another, while creating a link between people and places. This serial approach implies that each and every one of us can share in the artistic idea. This reflects one of the basic ideas of the principle of democratic equality that lies at the heart of educational institutions such as museums,” Hörl sums up his whole approach.

Since part of Ottmar Hörl’s artistic concept involves the relocation of the artwork from the public to the private sphere, Mozart fans have a chance to buy copies of the sculptures from the original installation: an original costs 90 euros, while a hand-signed copy of a limited series of 270 costs 180 euros. Interested parties may purchase a prepaid ticket from the Museum Shop in the Mozart Residence at 8 Makartplatz before 30 August. They can then collect their golden Mozart, including a certificate of authenticity, from the Mirabell Gardens installation between 11:00 and 15:00 during the weekend of 29/30 August. Ottmar Hörl will be present on this occasion and will be happy to answer your questions.

GOLDEN MOZARTS FOR YOUR HOME

The Mozart sculptures are available only at the Hörl online shop.