 Zurich is inviting the world to a “sit in”. It has transformed its
streets into works of art by placing more than a thousand “art benches” on
its pavements. Local officials hope the benches will be as well received as
the first street exhibition three years ago, when life-size plastic cows
invaded the city.A blue and white tram sets off down Zurich’s
Bahnhofstrasse. Emblazoned across the side is the slogan “I’m also a boat”,
advertising the fact that tram tickets can also be used on Lake Zurich’s
passenger ferries.
The tram rumbles past dozens of benches of all shapes and sizes,
including one with the words “I’m also a cow” painted across it.
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“We were very successful with the cows,” says Robert Ober, president of
Zurich’s retailers association. “But because it was imitated in other cities
of the world, which used cow and other animal themes such as frogs and
moose, we decided to do something completely different, and so we came up
with the idea for the benches.”
64,000 bottoms a day
Based on double occupancy, Ober’s association reckons an average length
of stay – or sit as the case may be – of 15 minutes per bench. Taking the
arithmetic a step further, the more than 1,000 art benches are being asked
to accommodate the bottoms of 64,000 people a day or seven million in total
by the time the rectangular boxes are removed from the city streets in
mid-September.
“Zurich is a business city. And cities of business are usually very
serious – no one smiles, so we thought we would try to change that,” Ober
adds.
At Paradeplatz, under the watchful windows of some of Switzerland’s
mightiest banks, sits the bench titled “The deal”. The bench is bookended by
two stainless steel silhouettes of businessmen shaking hands with their arms
arched over the seat.
But the game of musical chairs isn’t reserved for the city’s bankers and
brokers.
Chocolate bench
At one end of the square, a giant sperm offers a place of rest in the
curl of its tail. Not far off, a child climbs on to the back of a metallic
dragon, itself draped over the back of a bench. Across the street, a woman
tries to break off a piece of the bench sponsored by the chocolate maker,
Sprüngli.
There are thrones, benches disguised as beaches, swimming pools, bathtubs
and submarines – perfect for a rainy day stroll in Switzerland’s biggest and
liveliest city.
There are benches made to look like benches and benches that are so
abstract few could even hazard a guess as to where to place their behind.
The same has to be said for the bench of nails.
“Zurich has opened up, and I think it’s because we have a lot of
foreigners living in the city and this has positively influenced the people
of Zurich,” says Edith Strub, president of Zurich tourism. “Today Zurich is
a very cosmopolitan city providing lots of fun.”
Sit-seeing tours
Strub’s office is offering two-hour “sit-seeing” tours of the city’s most
interesting sites, viewed of course from the comfort of some of the city’s
most unusual new benches.
From the seat of “Heaven and Earth”, visitors can admire the twin-spired
Grossmunster cathedral where Ulrich Zwingli once converted the Zurich masses
to the cause of the Reformation.
There’s room for a whole busload of tourists to enjoy the view over Lake
Zurich from the “mother of all benches”. The oversized cow is in honour of
the successful promotion that paved the way for Bench Art.
“The art isn’t just to admire but is practical. That’s what is so
exciting about the project,” says artist Jürg Bächtold, who was commissioned
to create two dozen of the benches. “I have a good feeling about it. But I
hope they will be used and respected, and not vandalised.”
“There are no rules [about sitting on the benches] but the people have to
communicate with each other,” adds Ober, who realises that Bench Art could
become a victim of its own popularity.
“The only problem is that photographers can’t always get the picture they
want because there are always people sitting on them, covering the artwork!”
by Dale Bechtel
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