Berlin artist Jan Vormann is transforming World War II damaged buildings around Europe with his version of a quick patch job. The project, called ‘dispatchwork‘, uses colourful lego pieces to fill in holes left by bomb and shrapnel damage and plain neglect. Similar to the idea of the Sarajevo Roses, the small interventions remind us of a history, which in some cities, is not that distant. Cities that have been ‘patched’ include Berlin, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv, Belgrade and St. Petersburg.
In Berlin, Vormann was spontaneously joined by tourists and Berliners who helped to fill in the gaps in buildings and monuments. The project, while obviously not a permanent repair, provokes thought on the history of war in these cities and of societies ability to heal and move forward. It is a bit of modern colourful fun against the stark masonry brickwork of the past that encourages people to look twice at the world around them.
Check our the Dispatchwork flickr set for more photos.
Photos by Martin Deutsch and Marc Phu
One comment
Awesome – formidable — continue, c’est necessaire!