Artwork
Steffen, Patrick - Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, Anagrammprojekt 4057 (PLZ von Projektort)
Steffen, Patrick - Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, Anagrammprojekt 4057 (PLZ von Projektort) is an unspecified painting by Patrick Steffen. It dates from 2013 and is held in the collection of the Archaeology and Museum Baselland.
About this work
Overview
Patrick Steffen’s work titled Kunst im öffentlichen Raum, Anagrammprojekt 4057 was produced around 2013 and is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The piece consists of a photograph of a stark white wall on which a brief, erratic line of black handwritten graffiti is visible, framed above by an empty, narrow window that admits no light.
Subject & Meaning
The graffiti reads “Verdammt swd heute viele Bullen unterwegs,” a colloquial German expression roughly translating to “Damn, lots of cops around today.” The uneven lettering, smudges, and crossed‑out strokes convey a sense of immediacy and frustration, capturing a fleeting moment of urban tension.
Technique & Style
Steffen presents the street‑level inscription as a documentary image, emphasizing the rawness of the hand‑drawn script against a minimalist background. The composition isolates the text within a neutral space, allowing the viewer to focus on the gesture and the spontaneous, unrefined quality of the graffiti.
History & Provenance
Created circa 2013, the photograph entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings shortly thereafter. It forms part of Steffen’s broader “Anagrammprojekt,” which explores the relationship between public signage, language play, and the social contexts in which they appear.
Artist & collection
Artist
Patrick Steffen loved turning everyday sights into puzzles, postal codes, street signs, the quiet architecture of delivery vans.
