Jana Müller

Printed truck tarpaulins wind down from the branches of the trees at the playground in the Senefelder Quartier towards the ground. Jana Müller uses photographs in the intertwined bundles that visually echo their former function as a place of execution. The twists and turns of the individual sheets only ever hint at part of the picture and thus appear like archaeological finds that only reveal a specific story when they are put together. The artist also conceptually processes oral traditions and rumors that people once took wooden splinters from the gallows as lucky charms, which usually developed into a lucrative business. Small bags with found objects from the playground can be bought as talismans in the surrounding stores.

A little piece of happiness...
Talismans by the artist Jana Müller, hand-picked at the former execution site.

As part of the "Hidden View" exhibition, Berlin-based artist Jana Müller has created a very magical artistic concept: based on the historical features of the Hermann-Steinhäuser-Str./ Christian-Pleß-Straße playground, which was once a place of execution, she is offering talismans for sale that are supposed to bring luck (if you believe in them) to your home: The artist has taken the lore and rumors that the people of Offenbach once took wooden splinters from the disused gallows as good luck charms and has taken them further conceptually: small bags with pieces she has hand-picked from the playground now located there can be purchased as talismans directly opposite the Büdchen at Hermannstraße 15 (opposite the district office) for a small symbolic donation. Jana Müller describes the lucky charms in an elaborately designed "lucky charm leaflet" as follows: "The objects collected at the former Rabenstein in Offenbach are said to have mysterious magical powers. If you keep these objects in the house, they are said to bring good luck to the whole family. However, they should be treated very carefully and respectfully, and also looked after well, otherwise they will bring disaster and ruin. The most important thing is that the objects are always visible and do not disappear into drawers or boxes. If they are hung up with the bag on a wall in the house, they develop the power of counter-love. If you lose faith in them, you should sell them for a profit. If the lucky charms are given to other people three times in a row, they lose their power and bring bad luck." The talismans are the second part of the work that Jana Müller has developed especially for Hidden View. Printed bundles of truck tarpaulins hang in the trees around and on the playground in the Senefelder Quartier. Each layer of these strange fruits ("Fruits") presents a researched story about the execution site and the history of execution sites in general up to the present day. You can buy this little bag of Magie vom Rabenstein as a gift, souvenir or for your own piece of happiness for €1 at the kiosk in Hermannstraße 15 opposite the playground. They are limited to 300 pieces and are available until the end of the exhibition on October 16.