Sisyphos was condemned to eternally push a boulder up a mountain, only for it to roll back down into the valley just before reaching the top. A symbol of a laborious, repetitive task that seems fruitless and without end. But what if he had seen the path as a playground and sought creative ways to climb the mountain? Might the seemingly meaningless task have then appeared to him as a joyful game?
Like Sisyphos, we all face new challenges every day. New and recurring obstacles accompany us throughout life. Overcoming them takes effort. It can be annoying or even seem pointless. We would rather get them over with quickly then giving them to much of attention — like a flight of stairs on the way to work.
Project Sisyphos changes that. The colorfully designed staircase invites us to see the obstacle as a playground. It offers a chance to rediscover the path—up or down—again and again. A space of possibility where it’s not about winning or losing, nor about a specific goal, but about an invitation: to play.Project Sisyphos reminds us of the uniquely human ability to play freely, without purpose — and in doing so, to experience and shape our environment without judgment. An ability that is increasingly lost in a performance-driven society.
A project by Johannes Voges
In cooperation with:
Anne Voges (Grafic Design & Illustration)
Caspar Mücke (Web Design)
And Art workshop Turmstraße of the city of Monheim am Rhein
Thanks:
The project is supported as part of the 'Stadtbesetzung' initiative by the Cultural Secretariat of Gütersloh.