New "art in architecture" for the university

The Art in Construction initiative ensures that a certain proportion of the construction costs for public building projects is used to realise accompanying works of art. One such project was recently realised at the Hubland North Campus of Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU). Another is to follow soon.

Both artworks beat off strong competition in the evaluation process. The Free State of Bavaria is subsidising the construction with a total of 325,000 euros.

Spiral shape symbolises a bridge between the disciplines

The sculpture "SCRIPT" adorns the Hubland North Campus in front of the Centre for Philology and Digitality (ZPD). The spiral made of weatherproof Corten steel stands for a "synthesis of the themes of language, writing and digitality. The spiral shape symbolises space and time, evolution and infinity," says artist Daniel Widrig.

From a large number of outstanding submissions, the jury chose the installation, whose dynamism made it appear both powerful and delicate at the same time. With its abstract form, the sculpture evokes differentiated associations. Daniel Widrig describes it as a "bridge between millennia-old knowledge and our contemporary world, creating a connection between the past and the future."

This makes "SCRIPT" a perfect fit for the ZPD, a place that combines computer science and digital humanities with the humanities and thus promotes the further development of the latter in the digital age.

Dragonfly wings as a landmark

Nearby, the Hubland campus will also have another new work of art in the future. The sculpture "Jungfernflug" by Pascale Feitner, placed on a small hill, will be visible from afar as a landmark.

In a two-phase anonymous competition process, the installation prevailed over the original 128 other proposals. "Jungfernflug" shows the steel wings of a dragonfly, the artist describes her work as follows: "Jungfernflug translates the filigree power of dragonfly wings into a large sculpture that combines nature and science and characterises the Würzburg campus as a new landmark."

The jury was particularly impressed by the wings' symbolism of new beginnings, which fits the situation of the young students on campus. Steel as the chosen material is easy to realise and allows for a filigree grid structure with interesting shadows and varied perspectives. The completion of "Jungfernflug" is planned for autumn 2026 at the latest.