HAPPY WORLD OCEANS DAY!

An estimated millions of tons of munition remnants lie in the world's oceans. In German waters of the North Sea and Baltic Sea alone, there are around 1.6 million tons of conventional munitions (such as bombs, mines, and torpedoes) as well as up to 300,000 tons of chemical warfare agents that were dumped after the world wars. (Umweltbundesamt)

Swaantje Güntzel, SEESTÜCK IV / Museum Kunst der Westküste, Föhr, 2024
Diasec, 80 × 120 cm

Production in front of the work “Harbor Entrance” (1916) by Erich Heckel (1883–1970). The work was realized in the painting depot of Museum Kunst der Westküste (Föhr). The artist holds a 100-pound US aerial bomb under her arm which was recovered from the North Sea.

Realized with the help of SeaTerra GmbH Geophysics & EOD Services

Foto: Henriette Pogoda

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SEASCAPE IV / Museum Kunst der Westküste, Föhr

Production in front of the work “Harbor Entrance” (1916) by Erich Heckel (1883–1970). The work was realized in the painting depot of Museum Kunst der Westküste (Föhr). The artist holds a 100-pound US aerial bomb under her arm which was recovered from the North Sea. The work is part of the artist´s ongoing series "Seascapes".

In the German North and Baltic Seas, there are contaminated sites of about 1.6 million tons of conventional munitions and 5,000 tons of chemical warfare agents dumped during World War II by military operations or afterwards by dumping (source: Federal Environment Agency Germany).

Realized with the help of SeaTerra GmbH.

[Swaantje Güntzel, SEESTÜCK IV / Museum Kunst der Westküste, Föhr, 2024, Diasec, 80 × 120 cm]

Foto: Henriette Pogoda
Assistance: Joana Bacelar

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