Wrapping of the Ringturm 2016: “Unburdened”
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the group’s Czech Group company Kooperativa in 2016, the Ringturm building is being transformed into a monumental art installation designed by the Czech artist Ivan Exner.
This will be the ninth time that the historic office building on Vienna’s Ringstraße is enveloped by huge printed netting sheets. Work will shortly commence on preparing the building’s façade to display Ivan Exner’s work “Unburdened” throughout the summer. Since 1993, the Czech artist has cooperated closely in numerous art projects with the Kooperativa pojišťovna, a.s., Vienna Insurance Group, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. “Every year, the Ringturm’s wrapping conveys new approaches and perspectives and invites people who see it to let their minds wander. In 2016, Ivan Exner presents his own vision of growth and future, his work reflecting a part of our company’s history. “Unburdened” symbolizes and celebrates the 25th anniversary of our Czech Group company Kooperativa,” explains Günter Geyer, CEO of the main shareholder of the Vienna Insurance Group (VIG), the Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein.
The work “Unburdened”
Exner’s work, entitled “Unburdened”, shows a boy standing on a hill flying a kite. The child’s raised head and his tensed, straight back show that he is fully absorbed in his lively play. The boy is a symbol of ease and carefreeness. Another important element in the painting is the endless sea horizon lying before the child. Instead of the office building, passers-by will gaze at the open sea in the middle of a densely built-up area of their city. Between the child and the distant horizon lies endless vastness. The colourful kites are flying in different spheres: while two are flying high in the sky, one is drifting towards the horizon and a fourth one is soaring vertically into the sky.
“If we look at the painting’s composition, the vertical is emphasized by the shape of the child and the horizontal by the sea horizon. The vertical and horizontal lines symbolize growth and the future, and the Ringturm building in Vienna’s cityscape reflects these same themes,” explains the artist Ivan Exner of his work and the special exhibition surface.
