Time pyramid
Encyclopedia
The Time pyramid is a work of public art
under construction in Wemding
, Germany
. The pyramid
, begun in 1993, at the 1200-year anniversary of Wemding, will take almost another 1200 years to complete and is scheduled to be finished in the year 3183.
The base layer, measuring 13.8 m (45.3 ft) by 13.8 m (45.3 ft), will consist of 64 blocks arranged in 8 rows and 8 columns. The second layer will consist of 36 blocks, in a 6 by 6 format. The third layer will have 16 blocks arranged in 4 by 4. The final, fourth layer, will consist of 4 blocks, arranged in 2 by 2. A model of the final artwork is exhibited at Wemding, at the Haus des Gastes.
The pyramid, as far as it exists today, is located on a concrete pad on a rounded hilltop, the Robertshöhe, on the northern edge of Wemding. As of 2010, only two blocks (in the base layer) are present, the first being placed in October 1993. The third block is scheduled to be placed for 2013.
The project's finance was mostly achieved through donations by local companies, which, for example, supplied the materials for the concrete slab for free. Additionally, the material of the blocks used is not fixed and may be altered in future generations depending on availability. The project is administrated by a foundation based in Wemding.
Manfred Laber was born in Wemding in 1932 and studied painting at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Berlin
in the 1950s. He has other artwork on permanent display on the Isla San Antonio, and in Alcanar
, Spain
, and Mormoiron
, France
. Alcanar is also his part-time place of residence.
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
under construction in Wemding
Wemding
Wemding is a municipality in the Donau-Ries district of Bavaria, Germany. Botanist Leonhart Fuchs was born here in 1501.Wemding is home to the Time pyramid, a public art work begun in 1993 and scheduled to be completed in the year 3183....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
, begun in 1993, at the 1200-year anniversary of Wemding, will take almost another 1200 years to complete and is scheduled to be finished in the year 3183.
History
The town of Wemding dates back to the year 793 and celebrated its 1200-year anniversary in 1993. The time pyramid was conceived to mark this 1200-year period.Concept
The pyramid, on completion in the year 3183, is scheduled to consist of 120 stone or concrete blocks, each measuring 1.2 m (3.9 ft) long, 1.2 m (3.9 ft) wide and 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall. Adjacent blocks are separated by gaps of half a block or 0.6 m (2 ft). One block is scheduled to be placed every ten years, taking 1190 years in total.The base layer, measuring 13.8 m (45.3 ft) by 13.8 m (45.3 ft), will consist of 64 blocks arranged in 8 rows and 8 columns. The second layer will consist of 36 blocks, in a 6 by 6 format. The third layer will have 16 blocks arranged in 4 by 4. The final, fourth layer, will consist of 4 blocks, arranged in 2 by 2. A model of the final artwork is exhibited at Wemding, at the Haus des Gastes.
The pyramid, as far as it exists today, is located on a concrete pad on a rounded hilltop, the Robertshöhe, on the northern edge of Wemding. As of 2010, only two blocks (in the base layer) are present, the first being placed in October 1993. The third block is scheduled to be placed for 2013.
The project's finance was mostly achieved through donations by local companies, which, for example, supplied the materials for the concrete slab for free. Additionally, the material of the blocks used is not fixed and may be altered in future generations depending on availability. The project is administrated by a foundation based in Wemding.
Timing
The significance of the number 12, 1200 years and 120 stones is coincidental, with a construction date beginning in 1993 being the most practical. The reason for this is that the closest similar constellations before and after were or would have been possible only in 1633 (7 by 7, 840 years, 84 blocks) and 2443 (9 by 9, 1650 years, 165 blocks).Artist
The project is the brainchild of the artist Manfred Laber. The project was officially begun in June 1993. The idea of the concept is to give people a sense of what the span of 1200 years really means.Manfred Laber was born in Wemding in 1932 and studied painting at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in the 1950s. He has other artwork on permanent display on the Isla San Antonio, and in Alcanar
Alcanar
Alcanar is a municipality of the Catalan comarca of Montsià, in the Tarragona province. The Serra del Montsià range and its foothills rises above the town and its surroundings. According to data from 2006 its population is 9,620 inhabitants, although this increased the next year, to 9,969...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Mormoiron
Mormoiron
Mormoiron is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography and geology:Mormoiron is located 12 km East of Carpentras; also nearby are Mont Ventoux and Avignon...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Alcanar is also his part-time place of residence.