Otto Herbert Hajek

Otto Herbert Hajek (Kaltenbach, CZ, 1927–2005, Stuttgart) is one of the most important artists of the twentieth century in Germany. His large outdoor sculptures have also left their mark on Stuttgart’s cityscape. The exhibition features a representative selection of sculptures, paintings, and graphics from the holdings of the O. H. Hajek-Kunststiftung, an art foundation established by the artist himself in 2003, in cooperation with the Otto Herbert Hajek Kunststiftung of the Sparda-Bank Baden-Württemberg.

Art and public space are intimately linked in Hajek’s work. The “Stadtzeichen Stuttgart” (Stuttgart City Sign, 1969), now located on the Theodor-Heuss-Straße, recalls Hajek’s work on the Kleiner Schlossplatz, a piece that exemplifies the power of art in public space to create a sense of place. Following this notion, the art collective “umschichten” (which means restructuring or rearranging) will develop a project for the Kleiner Schlossplatz as part of the exhibition.