25 years of German unification:
Europa-Park reveals the ‘Rizzi Wall’
A unique work of art meets Germany’s largest leisure park - an original piece of the Berlin Wall, which the New York pop art artist James Rizzi adorned with his art, has been on show to the visitors of Europa-Park since 01 October 2015. The section of wall - almost four metres high and 3.8 tonnes in weight - can be admired in the entrance zone of Europa-Park. The owner of Europa-Park, Roland Mack, and media entrepreneur Sabine Christiansen revealed the work in a ceremonial event at the starting point of the ‘Deutsche Allee’. “On the occasion of 25 years of German reunification, we would like to highlight the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall for us all, with this unique work of art”, said Roland Mack. The section of the Berlin Wall also draws attention to the James Rizzi Exhibition at Europa-Park, which visitors will be able to view during the winter season.
This Saturday, 03 October 2015, will witness the anniversary of 25 years of German reunification. This nationally historic day is also a very important date for Europa-Park in its 40-year history. For this reason, on 01 October, Germany’s largest leisure park has chosen a very special way of commemorating German unification a quarter of century ago, and the fall of the Berlin Wall: by revealing a unique work of art by the New York pop art artist James Rizzi.
The colourful, lively and cheerful work of art with the title ‘Borderless Buildings’ is one of a total of three original sections of the wall, which Rizzi worked on between 2009 and 2010. The work on display at Europa-Park is almost four metres in height and weighs 3.8 tonnes. It originates from the Rizzi family estate and shows the beaming New York high rise buildings, which were typical for the artist who passed away in 2011. Roland Mack, owner of Europa-Park, and Sabine Christiansen, media entrepreneur and former presenter for the German television network ARD-Tagesthemen, revealed the colourful section of the Berlin Wall in a ceremonial event. “James Rizzi has an unmistakeable visual language. His works fit in wonderfully here”, said Europa-Park owner Roland Mack. Sabine Christiansen remembered: “It was an extremely exciting time for us journalists. We were so happy that, with our news stories, we were able to share this major event in the entirety of German history with those people across the country.”
Rizzi frequently visited Berlin during his life. In 1989, he displayed his great admiration for the peaceful revolution which led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. A short time after, he travelled with his father where he, as a ‘wallpecker’, personally sought to secure sections of the original wall.
Trabi Parade on 03 October 2015
To commemorate the reunification between East and West that took place 25 years ago, a Trabi exhibition will be held on 03 October at Germany’s largest leisure park. Approximately 40 of the cult cars will be parked around the fountain located at the main entrance to Europa-Park. The Trabant motorcars will make their way straight through Europa-Park as part of a grand Trabi parade, from 16:00 onwards. The parade stirs memories of times in the GDR (German Democratic Republic), and creates an authentic atmosphere in Germany’s largest leisure park. The ‘Trabi train’ will also be providing musical entertainment for visitors on German Unification Day.
Large winter exhibition with 400 exhibits
At the grand James Rizzi Exhibition at the Mercedes-Benz Hall, which will run from 28 November 2015 to 10 January 2016, visitors will enter a James Rizzi world which is fun, and in which there are many curious, entertaining aspects for the whole family to discover interactively. Even at the entrance, an enormous, three-dimensional Rizzi building facade will be recreated. In addition to this, numerous original furniture pieces and works of art from the artist’s New York atelier will be on display. There are 400 exhibits from Rizzi to be discovered at the Europa-Park exhibition. In addition to typical Rizzi motifs from the Big Apple, visitors will also see less well-known, exclusive leisure park and roller coaster graphics from Coney Island. The James Rizzi Exhibition continues the long line of successful art exhibitions at which, in recent years, Europa-Park has shown works from artists including Marc Chagall, Tomi Ungerer, Raymond Waydelich and Rolf Knie. The visit to the Rizzi exhibition is included in the park admission.
Additional information on James Rizzi
Born in 1950 in New York, died in 2011 in New York. Artist, sculptor and cheerful individual who lived for art and was involved in a large number of social projects; Rizzi has many fans in Germany, and he loved leisure parks and roller coasters. Famous pop art artist: in Germany he designed, among other things, a Boeing and a tram’s exterior as well as four postage stamps.
Europa-Park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the 2015 summer season, which runs until 8th November. Infoline: +49 (0)7822 776688. Further information is also available at