A project by Antje Majweski for the Neue Auftraggeber von Wietstock
On October 10, 2026, the “Garden for People and Birds” was inaugurated in Wietstock, in the municipality of Altwigshagen. A group offemale villagers designed it together with the artist Antje Majewski and implemented parts of it themselves. This marks the completion of the second subproject of their three-part design: The mosaic artwork was already unveiled in 2022, and a pavilion with solar panels is still to follow. With her design, Majewski is responding to a commission formulated by the residents of Wietstock based on the model of the “Neue Auftraggeber” (New Patrons). In this initiative, citizens commissionworks of art addressing pressing local issues.
Many who had actively participated came to the dedication to celebrate: with coffee and cake, a torchlight procession, bread baked on a stick over the new fire pit, and cheerful speeches. Those who had initiated the process in the village back in 2018 were also in attendance. Among them was Jürgen Bigalke, who, together with the village mayor Sieglinde Priem, lit the fire pit with a torch. The local volunteer fire department, which had already helped with the planting, stood guard over the fire pit.
The birdbath, designed by the artist, was crafted by local metalworker Wilhelm Netzband and his son Wieland and ceremoniously installed. The informational signs, which suggest a walking route through the garden, drew particular interest. In short quotes, private garden owners share their experiences and show how people, plants, and animals coexist in this place under difficult conditions. The plantings themselves take into account the increasing drought caused by climate change in this area. A poster exhibition showcased the key steps leading up to the inauguration, including several work sessions during which the property was cleared and prepared for planting.
The municipality had generously made the property available. The village garden was officially handed over during the celebration. Mayor Jan Plogsties, speaking on behalf of the municipal council, thanked Susanne Burmester of the Kunstverein Rügen, which supported the project as its sponsoring organization. In his welcoming remarks, Alexander Koch, director of Neue Auftraggeber in Deutschland, praised the perseverance of all those involved. He placed the project in the context of the hundreds of artworks commissioned by citizens that have already been created across Europe using this model.
About the Artist
Antje Majewski’s (b. 1968, Marl, Germany) paintings, video works, and installations explore how people interact with cultural objects, plants, and ecosystems. Since 2023, Majewski has been teaching painting at the Braunschweig University of Art. She lives and works in Berlin and Himmelpfort. Her works have been shown in solo and group exhibitions at international museums and institutions, most recently at the Galerie im Gutshaus Steglitz, Berlin (2026); the Busan Sea Art Festival, Busan (2025); M HKA Antwerp, Antwerp (2024); the House of World Cultures, Berlin (2024); Lunds konsthall, Lund (2024); KunstHausWien, Vienna (2024); Almaty Gallery, Almaty (2023); Sauerland Museum, Arnsberg (2023); Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn (2022); Kunstmuseum Thun, Thun (2021); Gropius Bau, Berlin (2019); Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin (2018).
Sponsors & Partners
The Dorfgarten was co-funded by the Creative Europe program of the European Union and the Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal, and European Affairs of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as part of the Art Living Lab to Repair the Land project. It was coordinated by Concomitentes (Spain) and developed in collaboration with the Association for Interdisciplinary & Intercultural Research (Croatia), the Kunstverein Rügen e.V. (Germany), and the RIA Foundation (Spain).
The project is sponsored by Kunstverein Rügen e.V. The design phase for the overall project was supported by the Federal Cultural Foundation. The mosaic artwork was created with funding from the Stiftung Kunstfonds/NEUSTART KULTUR, the Fondation de France, and the Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal, and European Affairs of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
