Kunst am Bau

English translation: architectural sculpture/art/'Kunst am Bau' percent-for-art scheme

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Kunst am Bau
English translation:architectural sculpture/art/'Kunst am Bau' percent-for-art scheme
Entered by: Helen Shiner

10:55 Aug 15, 2008
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
German term or phrase: Kunst am Bau
I've seen art on construction sites which seems to address the Bau aspect (but no google hits), as well as art in public, art in the public sphere, art in public spaces...
Any commonly accepted term for this.
One document I have the context is the heading:
Thorak, Wotruba and “Kunst am Bau” in Linz 1955
thanks in advance to all you art experts!
davidgreen
architectural sculpture/art
Explanation:
Hi David, this is generally called architectural sculpture, because it is generally sculpture that is afixed to building, but there are light sculptures and other things of a less sculptural tendency which might be better classed as 'art'. Perhaps your context will tell you.

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Note added at 5 mins (2008-08-15 11:00:49 GMT)
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"Architectural sculpture is a general categorization used to describe items used for the decoration of buildings and structure. The term encompasses both sculpture that is attached to a building and free-standing pieces that are a part of the architects design."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_sculpture

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Note added at 4 hrs (2008-08-15 15:01:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I had read your italics as a means to denote which words were to be translated. If, however, it means the name of a specific scheme as Stephen notes, then the equivalent scheme, or series of schemes, in this country since the 1940s is known as 'percent for art', the percentages varying dependent again on who is paying.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2008-08-15 15:05:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The Arts Council of England endorsed ‘Percent for Art’ in 1988, as a means to integrate the work of artists into the planned developments of public space. Since then numerous council authorities across the country have adopted their own Percent for Art schemes. These schemes encourage developers to allocate a proportion (usually 1%) of the budget in any large capital project for spending on public art. It is an internationally used funding mechanism, often employed for commissioning contemporary artworks. Each council that adopts a Percent for Art scheme sets its own conditions of eligibility, which must be met for the money to be allocated. Cambridge City Council (CCC) adopted their Percent for Art scheme in July 2002, and it currently has the status of Supplementary Planning Guidance.
http://www.bgci.org/educationcongress/proceedings/Authors/va...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2008-08-15 18:06:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It seems as if the Nazis had already cornered the Kunst am Bau thing from 1934! I presume this is what is meant here. I just can't for the life of me imagine Thorak getting state-funded public commissions post-war.

"Mit dem "Kunst-am-Bau-Erlaß" vom 22. 6.1934 mußte ein anteiliger Prozentsatz der Baukostensumme von Bauvorhaben in öffentlicher Trägerschaft für Werke der bildenden Kunst und des Kunsthandwerks aufgewendet werden. Dabei sollte zur Baukunst als "Sinnbild des Staatslebens" das "Kunstwerk nicht um seiner selbst willen als zwecklose Zutat, sondern sinnvoll in Beziehung zu dem Zweck des Gebäudes, zu den örtlichen Begebenheiten und zur Umgebung gebracht" werden.
Der soziale Aspekt des Erlasses (Punkt 5: Hilfe für notleidende Künstler) verstärkte die propagandistische Absicht, den NS-Staat als Förderer der Künste erscheinen zu lassen und verschleierte den Ausleseprozeß, der damit durch den öffentlichen Auftraggeber vollzogen werden konnte, und der sich besonders auf den Nachwuchs auswirken mußte."

http://kunst.gymszbad.de/nationalsozialismus/architektur/spe...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2008-08-15 18:30:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Given Stephen's point and the above Nazi stuff, I would suggest your title should be something like: 'Thorak, Wotruba and the "Kunst-am-Bau" percent-for-art scheme in Linz 1955.'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days3 hrs (2008-08-17 14:24:31 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thanks, David, for the points and to Stephen for putting me on the precise track!
Selected response from:

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:04
Grading comment
gonna go with the german then "percent for art" afterwards as in Helen's last note. thanks all for copious responses!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3architectural sculpture/art
Helen Shiner
4 +1....under the ((italics?))Kunst-am-Bau scheme for art in architecture
Stephen Reader
3 -1art in construction
Erika Berrai-Flynn


  

Answers


3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
....under the ((italics?))Kunst-am-Bau scheme for art in architecture


Explanation:
It's a German phenomenon, at least with that label attached to it. From my own dictionary marginalia -
'i.e. "art on the (architectural) site", integrated into architecture from the planning stage on. "Art in Architecture", but CARE.'
With Helen (hello again, H.) in the sense that it's art FOR & as part of a piece of architecture, thereby often (but not exclusively) a site-specific work in nature; certainly a permanent piece is implied.

Stephen Reader
Local time: 00:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 115

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Helen Shiner: Hello Stephen. See my comments re the Nazi Kunst am Bau scheme!! Fancy them getting in on the act before anyone else! Perverted patronage!/True enough.
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Helen. Had a look. Where DO it end. There seem to be a number of ideas surviving which they realised and abused (I'm not trying to sound faux-naif!)
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
art in construction


Explanation:
Gibt keine einheitliche Übersetzung im Netz. Neben "art in construction" wird z.B. auch Building Site Art benützt.
Bundesministerium (D) sagt "Art in Construction" - siehe S.86 im pdf.
http://www.bbr.bund.de/nn_25610/EN/Publications/SpecialPubli...

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunst_am_Bau


    Reference: http://www.uni-weimar.de/mfa/documentation/thecompetition.ht...
    Reference: http://www.george-rickey.com/index.shtml
Erika Berrai-Flynn
United States
Local time: 00:04
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Helen Shiner: Sorry, this sounds like a poor translation. 'Art in construction' sounds like it is in the process of being built. And it really doesn't include art/sculpture on buildings.
23 hrs
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
architectural sculpture/art


Explanation:
Hi David, this is generally called architectural sculpture, because it is generally sculpture that is afixed to building, but there are light sculptures and other things of a less sculptural tendency which might be better classed as 'art'. Perhaps your context will tell you.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2008-08-15 11:00:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Architectural sculpture is a general categorization used to describe items used for the decoration of buildings and structure. The term encompasses both sculpture that is attached to a building and free-standing pieces that are a part of the architects design."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_sculpture

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2008-08-15 15:01:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I had read your italics as a means to denote which words were to be translated. If, however, it means the name of a specific scheme as Stephen notes, then the equivalent scheme, or series of schemes, in this country since the 1940s is known as 'percent for art', the percentages varying dependent again on who is paying.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2008-08-15 15:05:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The Arts Council of England endorsed ‘Percent for Art’ in 1988, as a means to integrate the work of artists into the planned developments of public space. Since then numerous council authorities across the country have adopted their own Percent for Art schemes. These schemes encourage developers to allocate a proportion (usually 1%) of the budget in any large capital project for spending on public art. It is an internationally used funding mechanism, often employed for commissioning contemporary artworks. Each council that adopts a Percent for Art scheme sets its own conditions of eligibility, which must be met for the money to be allocated. Cambridge City Council (CCC) adopted their Percent for Art scheme in July 2002, and it currently has the status of Supplementary Planning Guidance.
http://www.bgci.org/educationcongress/proceedings/Authors/va...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2008-08-15 18:06:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It seems as if the Nazis had already cornered the Kunst am Bau thing from 1934! I presume this is what is meant here. I just can't for the life of me imagine Thorak getting state-funded public commissions post-war.

"Mit dem "Kunst-am-Bau-Erlaß" vom 22. 6.1934 mußte ein anteiliger Prozentsatz der Baukostensumme von Bauvorhaben in öffentlicher Trägerschaft für Werke der bildenden Kunst und des Kunsthandwerks aufgewendet werden. Dabei sollte zur Baukunst als "Sinnbild des Staatslebens" das "Kunstwerk nicht um seiner selbst willen als zwecklose Zutat, sondern sinnvoll in Beziehung zu dem Zweck des Gebäudes, zu den örtlichen Begebenheiten und zur Umgebung gebracht" werden.
Der soziale Aspekt des Erlasses (Punkt 5: Hilfe für notleidende Künstler) verstärkte die propagandistische Absicht, den NS-Staat als Förderer der Künste erscheinen zu lassen und verschleierte den Ausleseprozeß, der damit durch den öffentlichen Auftraggeber vollzogen werden konnte, und der sich besonders auf den Nachwuchs auswirken mußte."

http://kunst.gymszbad.de/nationalsozialismus/architektur/spe...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2008-08-15 18:30:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Given Stephen's point and the above Nazi stuff, I would suggest your title should be something like: 'Thorak, Wotruba and the "Kunst-am-Bau" percent-for-art scheme in Linz 1955.'

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days3 hrs (2008-08-17 14:24:31 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Thanks, David, for the points and to Stephen for putting me on the precise track!

Helen Shiner
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 275
Grading comment
gonna go with the german then "percent for art" afterwards as in Helen's last note. thanks all for copious responses!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Manjula Dias-Hargarter, Ph.D. (X): this sounds right to me too.
37 mins
  -> Thank you, Manjula

neutral  Lonnie Legg: "architectural art" may work, for lack of a better term--though it doesn't convey that, in Germany at least, the art commonly isn't of the architect's design (but added by the builder with the help of gov't funds)
48 mins
  -> Kunst am Bau does not specify who is paying for it, so the EN term does not need to. Since this is the subject of my own PhD I am pretty confident about this one!!

agree  TonyTK: That's the one.
51 mins
  -> Thank you, TonyTK

agree  John Dale D.D.: agree, this may clarify it :-) http://www.bundestag.de/bau_kunst/kunst_am_bau.html
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, John. I have found out that the Nazis also had a Kunst am Bau Erlaß from 1934 so perhaps this is what is meant here.

neutral  Stephen Reader: possibly 'architecturally integrated sculpt.', but note it's a specific (German) institution/scheme/mode, not a universal definition. I'd hav to research, but think K.a.B. places emph. on architect-artist collab. on a par (re. 'archit.'s design')
3 hrs
  -> The equivalent scheme here is generally termed 'percent for art'.
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