Hike your way through art from Germany to Switzerland

I wonder what you visualize when you hear the word ‘border’.. For a long time, the first images that would pop into my mind would be checkpoints, barbed wires, police etc. Of course, those things are essential for security, but thanks to an afternoon I spent recently walking from Germany to Switzerland, I now have some additional imagery in my mind: that of greenery, calmness and quirky art. Yes, that’s right! The German border town of Weil am Rhein is barely 5 kms away from Basel, Switzerland , and what connects the two countries is a stretch of hiking trail, overlooking the city of Basel and surrounding areas.

Now, as many of you might be familiar with, Basel is known for art and the artists that have or who currently call it home.With over 40 museums, Basel can undoubtedly be called the ‘Culture Capital of Switzerland’. Taking this reputation further, artist Tobias Rehberger worked for over four years to design and install 24 waymarkers on this trail, in a project called ‘24 stops‘.

What he essentially did was, combining his experiences, thoughts , history and culture of the surrounding area to come up with 24 sculptures or pieces of art, that connect two countries and two art institutions: The Vitra Design Museum in Germany and the Fondation Beyeler Museum in Switzerland. 

Some of the sculptures do seem very abstract in nature. While some have functionality, others don’t. I suppose the interpretation of each of these ‘stops’ would differ from person to person. Surely, it was Rehberger’s inspiration from different art forms and his thoughts at each of the stops that resulted in these designs. But, as a friend of mine puts it, art can be very subjective and there doesn’t necessarily need to be one correct answer or interpretation to every work of art you see.

If you have a day (or even half a day) to spare , and the weather plays nice, I would suggest making a visit to the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein. I visited the new Schaudepot , where you can find a large collection of the museum’s furniture collection. I don’t think I would have found out about the history of design of chairs in any other way! The museum is also open on Sundays, which is very practical, I feel.

Outside the Vitra Design Museum in the German border town of Weil Am Rhein. Thanks @gudrun_g ! We embarked on a hike from the Vitra to the Fondation Beyeler Museum across the border in Switzerland and got to see the 24 stops on the way. @24stops or the #rehbergerweg is an art project connecting Germany and Switzerland with 24 art installations along the hills.Stay tuned for more pictures of the hike and the art! #swatchlovesart #vitra #vitracampus #vitradesignmuseum #germany #weilamrhein #lovebasel #art #artbasel

A photo posted by Menorca@EuropeDiaries (@menorca_c) on Jun 12, 2016 at 10:43am PDT

The hiking trail or the ‘Rehberger-Weg’ as it is called now, begins behind the Schaudepot. From that point on, prepare to be surprised with colours and art as you make your way through the lush green forests. For practical reasons, it might be helpful to have a map of this trail or to download the ’24 stops’ app (Apple or Android), so you know where you are going. Even if you are unsure of your location, but you spot one of these sculptures, at least that’s a way to know you are headed in the right direction. They also have a few guided tours coming up this year, in case you might be interested.

Also, as my good friend Kathi notes(for all Pokemon Go enthusiasts), this might be a great way to enjoy natural beauty and capture many more Pokemons too!

Just before looking through the glass at the #rehrbergerweg – a 5 km stretch of land connecting Germany and Switzerland.The artist Tobias Rehrberger installed 24 pieces of art along the way that will make your hike all the more interesting! This was one of our @24stops while walking from the @vitradesignmuseum to @fondationbeyeler .Art and hike enthusiasts,don't miss out on thus if you visit Basel or are nearby! #swatchlovesart #artbasel #art_spotlight #lovebasel #crossborder #lookingthrough

A photo posted by Menorca@EuropeDiaries (@menorca_c) on Jun 13, 2016 at 4:20am PDT

And once you are halfway through your hike, you have the option of stopping at the adorable vineyard Schneider and sampling a glass or two of wine they produce.

The Weingut Schneider. Image from Snapchat:menorcac

Walking further downhill and after crossing artsy bells, dustbins, signposts, a huge slide and much more, you will eventually reach the border checkpoint. What I didn’t know was that just a bit away from the checkpoint is a ‘Naturbad’ where you can stop for a swim (look up for one of the ‘stops’) or can continue walking over the river, through the fields (and more art), to ultimately reach the Fondation Beyeler Museum.

For all art lovers, I would certainly recommend visiting this museum and the many fascinating exhibitions it hosts. Earlier this year, I visited the Jean DuBuffet metamorphosis exhibition and had even got the opportunity to see the works of Paul Gauguin last summer. His art and stories have fueled my wanderlust and curiosity to visit French Polynesia  even more. Currently, they are hosting the ‘Alexander Calder & Fischli / Weiss‘ exhibition until September 2016 , a Roni Horn exhibition until January 2017 and a few Picasso paintings are on display till August 14,2016. You can however lose yourself in the works of Picasso and other great artists at the KunstMuseum Basel too, at any time you like.  I saw the Calder and Fischli/Weiss exhibition after the hike, and what really struck was the portrayal of balance in their work.

As someone with no background in art or art history as such, I realize how much more I have learnt after moving to Basel. There are art galleries in probably every other street, exhibitions and art events through the year- and not just the fancy ones like Art Basel but many other smaller festivals and exhibitions too. I strongly believe that education is a continuous process and certainly, my perception and understanding of art has changed manifold, thanks to Basel and all the creative people who call it home too.

An art installation inside the Town Hall of Basel,open for all.#Basel is currently hosting @artbasel , one of the biggest art fairs in the world and is hosting thousands of people from different countries currently.Yesterday,I also visited the Art Book Fair called @ineverreadartbookfairbasel and loved the creativity all around! My friend got a book scroll about a story related to the Little Red Riding Hood but with a very different twist and we stayed up so late reading it and then rolling it back into a scroll. There are so many people doing cool things and more people should get to know about their work! Do you like attending exhibitions and book fairs? #artbasel #art_spotlight #bookstagram #bookfair #lovebasel #inlovewithswitzerland #culture

A photo posted by Menorca@EuropeDiaries (@menorca_c) on Jun 18, 2016 at 5:33am PDT

So, if you live near Basel or happen to visit the city for a few days, do consider venturing out on this hiking trail, visit the museums, take in the history , talk to the locals and you’ll have ample food for thought for sure.

24 stops: a tale of two countries.

Do let me know if you make this trip or if you need any other suggestions about Basel too. You can pin this article for future reference and share it with anyone who might be living in/planning a trip to Basel soon!

 

 

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