Enigmatic sculptures on the Chemnitztalradweg: What is behind it?

Enigmatic sculptures on the Chemnitztalradweg: What is behind it?

on June 21, 2025, during a picturesque bike tour on the Chemnitztalradweg, two 72-year-old pensioners from Chemnitz, Rosmarie Rietzschel and Marina Mühlenhoff, made a special discovery. The two older women started their tour at Falkeplatz, past the Hartmann factory, to grab fresh air and enjoy the beauty of their homeland. At a stopover on their route, they stopped to take photos of a unique plastic named "Cyberfaun and Guardian". To their surprise, they even unexpectedly met the artist who created the work.

This art moment is part of the larger art and sculpture path called Purple Path, which embodies the Culture Capital of Europe in Chemnitz in 2025 in an exciting way. The Purple Path connects the citizens: inside of Chemnitz with 38 cities and municipalities in the area. With his idea of ​​creating a sustainably designed sculpture museum in public spaces, this project brings new impulses for the region. The concept includes locations in cities such as Mittweida, Schwarzenberg, Glauchau, Seiffen, Freiberg and Schneeberg, all of which are part of this creative network.

artistic diversity and regional identity

The Purple Path impresses with the multitude of contemporary artists: inside, including Leiko Ikemura, Monika Sosnowska, Jeppe Hein and Michael Sailstorfer, as well as important Saxon artists: inside such as Jana Gunstheimer, Via Lewandowsky and Olaf Holzapfel. It is particularly noteworthy that Chemnitz artists are also represented in parallel: inside, such as Johann Belz, Gregor-Torsten Kozik and Michael Morgner, who are often less well known in the West. Her work meets international artists such as Rebecca Horn, Daniel Buren and James Turrell and show the rich diversity of the art scene in Chemnitz.

Another highlight of the Purple Path is the upcoming unveiling of the work of art "Above - with (or: a monument to the good spirits of my homeland)" on November 30th on Schillerplatz. Particularly exciting: This artwork from Osmar East is presented as the 23rd on the sculpture path. It promises both a tribute to the regional traditions and a critical distancing of commercial ingredients of local identities, in line with the cultural promotion of the Free State of Saxony.

art for everyone and a look into the future

The artwork on Schillerplatz, which is currently being redesigned, shows a fascinating group of figures with Erzgebirge nutcrackers, miners and angels as well as a snowman. During the ceremonial revelation at the end of the month, there are also media representatives: inside. Mayor Sven Schulze and Stefan Schmidtke, managing director of the program of the Capital of Culture, will keep greetings. Curator Alexander Ochs will introduce work while the artist will be present himself.

All of these developments show that in Chemnitz a creative potential is boiling that inspires both locals and guests. The Purple Path is more than just one way - it is a sign of cultural networking that will continue to grow to the Capital of Culture in Europe in 2025. With their discovery, the two pensioners experienced a small but significant part of this development and thus made it clear that art can be found in many corners of our city.

For more information and updates about this exciting project, a look at the websites of chemnitz 2025 and chemnitz.de