HA Schult, born in 1939, is one of the most important contemporary German artists, who became famous for his art actions in open spaces in different parts of the world.

“The Trash People are an image of ourselves. We produce trash and become trash.”

In the exhibition LOVE LETTERS TO THE CITY, HA Schult presents letters and documentation photographs of his project Love Letters Building. In the summer of 2001, the artist issued a public call for people to write personal affirmations of love. Within a few weeks, more than 100,000 letters were received. The most beautiful of these were scanned, enlarged and printed in their thousands on a waterproof, paper-like material. HA Schult covered the entire exterior of a former post-office building in Berlin with these letters, transforming it into an “emotional monument.”

Social engagement is at the core of Schult’s work. The five red newspaper boxes, which he used as frames for the photographs and which are presented here, refer to his artistic charity project “Verlust bringt Gewinn” (Benefit through Loss). With each box sold, Schult donates the proceeds to the association Kunst hilft geben e. V. in support of homeless people.

On loan courtesy of Kunst hilft geben e.V.
Photos by Thomas Hoepker