German World Cup Coach Buys Art from Team Base

The Bar at the German National Team's Complex. Bahia, Brazil Photo: Sabine Theobald via Twitter

 

Germany’s World Cup winning coach Joachim Löw has bought two lamps by artist Claus Föttinger, which had been commissioned for the German team quarters in Bahia, Brazil, according to Monopol. The lamps depict iconic players from previous German national teams.

The German soccer federation invited seven artists to each decorate one building within the 15,000 square meter (161,000 square foot) complex inhabited by the national team during this summer’s World Cup. The artworks were selected by the Düsseldorf based art advisor Helge Achenbach, who was arrested in Germany on unrelated fraud charges after returning from Brazil.

Föttinger was responsible for designing the leisure center, including the bar, floor, and lamps. He told Monopol that Löw was deeply involved in the creative process: “He was interested in the artistic transformation of my bar in Bahia from the start, as well as the artwork in the other buildings. In his opinion my photo collage of every world cup team on the lamps, tables and within the large bar significantly contributed towards team-building!”

A press release from the German football federation claimed Föttinger had designed the bar together with Andreas Gursky, who later denied his direct involvement insisting that he merely agreed to have two of his photographs used within the collage.

According to Föttinger, the lamps bought by Löw depict German soccer icons Sepp Herberger, Helmut Schön, Franz Beckenbauer, Berti Vogts and Jürgen Klinsmann. The bar is expected to go on display in the new Soccer Museum in Dortmund.

 


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