Early Art at the Museum of Contemporary Art: Guido van der Werve's Number Thirteen
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An Early Look at Endurance: Guido van der Werve's Number Thirteen
On Friday, October 2, 2026, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Freiburg invites you to a focused short tour of Guido van der Werve's three-part work Number Thirteen from 2011. In just 15 minutes, art historian Isabel Herda opens a precise approach to a work that connects physical effort, time, and existential persistence.
When Movement Becomes Artistic Form
Guido van der Werve connects three extreme physical situations in Number Thirteen: mountaineering, long-distance running, and a twelve-hour run around his own house. The work thus directly addresses central themes of the special exhibition Playing Field. Sport & Art: overcoming, rules, competition, and the question of how athletic performance transforms into an aesthetic experience.
Between Landscape, Rhythm, and Self-Examination
The viewing of the work focuses on the tension between vast landscape and ritualized movement. The body appears not only as an athletic instrument but as a measure of time, repetition, and resistance. In the combination of video work, performance, and conceptual art, a peculiar exhibition atmosphere arises, where seemingly simple actions gain a poetic and contemplative dimension.
Art Historical Classification
Van der Werve's work is exemplary of a contemporary art movement in which personal action, cinematic staging, and philosophical questions intertwine. The tripartite division of Number Thirteen makes physical movement a composition and transforms endurance into a form of sculpture in space and time. The short tour not only conveys background knowledge about the work but also sharpens awareness of visual rhythm, materiality of film, and the relationship between sport and society.
An Art Experience for Early Risers
The tour begins at 7:15 AM and ends at 7:30 AM. The early timing creates a special framework for the aesthetic experience: even before the museum day begins, visitors encounter art that tells of concentration, repetition, and inner discipline. The event is independent of weather conditions and is barrier-free accessible within the museum.
Conclusion: Sport as a Mirror of Human Existence
The short tour of Number Thirteen promises a dense, knowledgeable examination of the work and an unusual entry into the exhibition Playing Field. Sport & Art. Those wishing to experience contemporary art, video, performance, and cultural education in a concentrated form will find a compelling reason to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art.
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