JOHANNES WOHNSEIFER
WELTAUSSTELLUNG

For the fourth edition of our backyardoutdoorsculptureseries Johannes Wohnseifer presents his sculpture Weltausstellung (World's Fair, 2004). It appears to be another branch of McDonald's, since the appearance of his model conforms to the design guidelines for the hamburger chain. It lacks neither the brick roof nor the striking yellow and red colours. The company logo is flying on a tall flagpole, helping one to find the right exit from the motorway. On closer examination, however, it becomes clear just which build-ing Wohnseifer has given the brick roof in lieu of its original flat roof the artist has used a model of the German pavilion that Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed in 1929 for the World's Fair in Barcelona, whose aesthetic had a lasting influence on modern architecture, even in relation to mass-produced functional architecture. In “Weltausstellung” Wohnseifer has merged the apparent antitheses of an architectural icon and a fast-food restaurant: Bauhaus architecture just like McDonalds became a trademark recognizable across the globe.