The underground stations of the German city Karlsruhe has been transformed into art galleries to host “Genesis”, an xhibition of the well-known potter Markus Lüpertz.

The 14 ceramic allegories, which weigh up to 1.5 tonnes each, are eight square metres and consist of ten panels.

They will be on display at 7 underground stations for six years.

They depict the freely interpreted biblical story of creation, the Gilgamesh epic and the four elements water, earth, air and fire.

“The underground is a tube and ready for a journey through the underworld, a creative journey from darkness into light. The work should be understood as a kind of wake-up call for the preservation of creation”, said Lüpertz, who turned 82.

“Art that concerns us all”

Rail traffic was stopped in the entire underground tunnel for the midnight inauguration. Former federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who is a friend of Lüpertz, the bishop of Baden, Heike Springhart, and several local authorities attended the official opening.

Springhart described Genesis as “art that concerns us all. In the underground of Karlsruhe, it shows many of our roots. It encourages us to understand ourselves as part of an environment for which we all bear responsibility”.

Criticism

It is estimatd that the prioject costed one million eurios, raised by donations and sponsors.

For Lüpertz, the private financing of Genesis is “a kind of gift for the city in which he and his family feel at home”. In Karlsruhe, however, there was criticism from several groups.

“Ceramic church art does not fit into an IT metropolis”, pointed out the recently deceased former head of the Center for Art and Media (ZKM), Peter Weibel.

There were also objections because of the Christian references of the works.

Lüpertz is one of the most important contemporary German artists. He was a professor of painting at the Karlsruhe Art Academy for twelve years before becoming rector of the Düsseldorf Art Academy. He converted to Catholicism as an adult.