Pure Abstraction: A German factory complex produces many quirky, unexpected works of art — and it’s been closed for years.

The twists, turns, and torn edges of a German industrial park have me asking – “Why am I obsessed with pipes and vents?” Why am I drawn to decaying wood, broken glass, and rusted metal? The only answer that makes sense to me is — “because it’s art.” We can probably argue that one all day — but to me, if it has texture, if it has sensual lines, if its colors make you feel something, OR  if it messes with your head — it meets the criteria.

The structures I encountered in Munich’s Kunstpark Ost, (also known as  Kultfabrik) did all of those things. I tried to capture their essence with my Canon Digital SLR.

The complex is now home to dozens of trendy nightclubs, with asthma intentional graffiti on the exterior walls (Pic #2). But the structures function basically the same as when they served as a dumpling manufacturing plant. The exposed brick, bulky flex ducts, and shiny air vents, all add to the artistic experience. I even love the shredded concert posters layered and peeled like a Rauschenberg assemblage (Pic #13).

Artist Beatrice Wood once said, “The only works of art America has given are her plumbing and her bridges.”  Well, I’d just like to add a few pipes from  my own collection, 6000 miles away.