We all look up at the same sky – An intercultural art project with Himmelsfels

As part of my intercultural mosaic project WE ALL LOOK UP AT THE SAME SKY, with around 60 people from all over the world, I have been laying a mosaic for the Archive of Dreams at Himmelsfels in Spangenberg near Kassel. In three episodes, I want to share my impressions from the project with you, that has started in July.

How it all started

From October 2018 to May 2019, I did my further education Integrational Coach / Intercultural Consultant, which is organized by Himmelfels together with the YMCA University Kassel. Two of the 5 course modules were held at Himmelsfels.

In this inspiring place in the middle of Germany, people from all over the world come together. They make the mountain their mountain – through singing, dancing, painting, mosaic making and many other creative techniques.

All participants of the advanced training program carry out a final project in which what they have learned is put to practice. My project – that was pretty clear soon – should be a mosaic project.

On the site, which was once a lime plant, many things have already been covered with mosaic. From the bin to the bathrooms and floors to the gutter. I was thrilled from the beginning. Above all, because everything at Himmelsfels is done with so much attention to detail, that it warms my heart when I look around there. The dedication of the people who form this place can be felt in every little niche.

Designing a night sky with the writing “We all look at the same sky” was my idea. I had no concrete space in mind. But the idea was suddenly there, when I was back in my workshop in Dusseldorf after the final course module.

The Archive of Dreams

When I shared this idea with Johannes of the Himmelsfels Team, he directly had the right place for the project. The dome of the Archive of Dreams. In the old weather station of the German Weather Service, that was installed on the rock some time ago, children and adolescents will write down their wishes for a better world, relax and dream. The spherical structure is located on a hillside overlooking the landscape of Spangenberg, behind which the sun sets every day. And what could let you dream better than a sparkling night sky?

Approximately, we design 25 square meters of space. Incredibly exciting, both in terms of planning and design, the project brings out in a marvelous way the connecting element of mosaic making.

Above, you can see my first scribble and some shots of the space in the raw state (and also some photos that show existing mosaics at Himmelsfels). The sky was to be iridescent, to show the sunset that sets over the hills of Spangenberg. Of course spiked by some stars and a good portion of Milky Way magic.

Soon, I will show the first pictures of our preparatory work for the cupola and on the scaffolding. 

Already, I would like to thank the team of the Himmelsfels and all the helping hands that make this project possible. Thanks a lot also to WIWA Mosaik for the donation of many colorful glass stones.

Read more about the project in part #2 here.

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