Reclaim
Reclaim organizes public space. In the form of an award, 40 artists are exhibited on billboards in Cologne for 10 days annually. Entirely in line with the motto: Art in, advertising out! The 2020 award was announced to the public via an art campaign. The 5 Reclaim colours occupied part of the public advertising space 14 days before the actual exhibition began. Without further provision of information, presented in random hanging, the colour surfaces invited reflection upon the function and use of billboards.
Street artists use public advertising space to their advantage. They left trade marks and created canvases for their work. Due to the pandemic, the A1-Format posters hung for longer than expected. Typically, these posters would be promptly replaced with concert, lectures or other event announcements. The Reclaim posters prevailed for six months.
During this time, they were not only tampered with by individuals, but endured various weather conditions, such as wind, rain and snow. The natural wear, tear and fading of everyday exposure left artistic marks. Some of the posters were pasted directly to a wall, while others on multi-layered poster blocks.
With time, these colored surfaces transformed into abstract works of art, created with and for the public. Reclaim has since collected the posters and turned them into an independent art exhibition.
