Uni Rondell

Coming from the Audimax, past the NW I building in the direction of the Unirondell, you come to Norbert Kricke's Raumkurve. Even from a distance, we can recognise a widely curved metal sculpture that describes a sweeping curve. This is the last work by the artist Norbert Kricke, created between 1984 and 1985. The artist opens the figure up to the space and allows it to be felt as a ‘force field of many dimensions’.

Depending on the position of the viewer, the object changes its shape. To observe this effect, it is advisable to walk around the sculpture while keeping your eyes focussed on the work of art. This offers the viewer a fascinating spectacle in which the curve appears to move in different directions. As they walk round it, the attentive observer is presented with a three-dimensional curve and then a seemingly flat, two-dimensional arc. This sculpture was originally located behind the university library and the GW II building. In 2024, the university's new Africa building was built on this site and the artwork was moved to its new location. This new, much more central location on the edge of the Unirondell makes the Raumkurve one of the central sculptures on campus, which students and employees of the university pass almost daily on their way to the canteen, for example.

Around the roundabout in the centre of the campus are four of a total of six figurative sculptures by the artist Stephan Balkenhol. These six 1.50 metre high figures are placed on six differently shaped columns of the same height. Four of them are placed along the path around the roundabout, two more along the path towards the sports building and the Applied Computer Science building. The sculptures were cast in bronze in 2001 and painted in colour.

In designing these sculptures, Balkenhol has created a special connection between the outer area of the campus and the central square on which we find ourselves. The four figures on the university roundabout, two female and two male, face each other and give the square a clear structure.

What makes these figures special is their placement on pillars. Balkenhol plays ironically with historical art traditions here. In antiquity, the Renaissance and the 19th century, famous personalities were often depicted on columns. Balkenhol, on the other hand, places modern, everyday people on these columns. This ironic wink is typical of Balkenhol's work and gives the figures a special depth.

Another remarkable feature is Balkenhol's characteristic signature. Originally a woodcarver, he cast these figures in bronze, giving them the appearance of wood-carved sculptures. This technique and his unique style have earned him worldwide recognition.

Stefan Balkenhol - Figuren auf dem Campus der Universität Bayreuth

Balkenhol's figures are not only works of art, but also a reflection of our society. They show ordinary people in an extraordinary position and invite us to reflect on our own role in the world. The combination of traditional form and modern interpretation makes these sculptures a special highlight on our campus.

Enjoy viewing these fascinating works of art and be inspired by their depth and meaning.