Transit der Erinnerungen / Mémoire en transit / Transit of Memories

With their installation Transit of Memories, the French collective Vortex-x has created a work at the Völklinger Hütte that references the diverse flows of movement and interconnections which characterised the ironworks during its active years. Until 1986, people, machines, vehicles and raw materials were in constant motion to keep the industrial organism for pig iron production alive. The resulting products were distributed worldwide. Like giant spider’s webs, the artwork spans the burden shed of the disused ironworks, where calm appears to have settled. However, Vortex-x also draws attention to the movements that define this place today, as well as the artistic networks that give rise to events such as the Urban Art Biennale. Efforts are now underway to transform the worksite into a unique venue for culture and social interaction – flows of movement of a different kind now serve to preserve and bring to life this World Heritage Site. Visitors come from all over the world to experience exhibitions, festivals and concerts, and to engage with history at first hand.