Since 1996, small brass plaques by H.R. Fricker have shaped the public space of St.Gallen. They bear inscriptions such as “Place of Idea”, “Place of Vision”, “Place of Irony”, or “Place of Time” – turning the city itself into a space for reflection.
The Imaginary Spine
Fricker divided the city into fourteen sectors, each measuring 400 x 400 meters. Lined up, these fields formed a 5.6-kilometer axis – an imaginary spine of St.Gallen. In 2024, the 12 x 12 cm panels were newly manufactured and installed. The full scale of the fields can be viewed on the city map: map.stadt.sg.ch (Ortekataster). Unfortunately, I haven’t found all of them yet because I can’t really read the city’s grid.
At the center of each field lies a plaque naming a specific mood or state of mind:
- PLACE OF DESIRE | Ort der Begierde (Rehetobelstrasse 5, Bus Haltestelle Krontal)
- PLACE OF MANIA | Ort der Manie (Rorschacherstrasse 176)
- PLACE OF GRIEF | Ort der Trauer (Blutspendezentrum)
- PLACE OF TIME | Ort der Zeit (Volksbadstrasse, Athletic Centrum)
- PLACE OF CUNNING | Ort der List (Bus Haltestelle Theater)
- PLACE OF IRONY | Ort der Ironie (Marktplatz, Bus Haltestelle Marktplatz)
- PLACE OF VISION | Ort der Vision (Vor dem Rathaus/Walhalla, Bahnhof St.Gallen)
- PLACE OF ANGER | Ort der Wut (Rosenbergstrasse 83/Klubhhausstrasse)
- PLACE OF SKEPTICISM | Ort der Skepsis (Militärkantine/Brücke, Kreuzackerstrasse 6)
- PLACE OF LUST | Ort der Lust (Bus Haltestelle Lachen)
- PLACE OF FEAR | Ort der Angst (Sporthalle Schönenwegen)
- PLACE OF ILLUSION | Ort der Illusion (Parkplatz Lerchenfeld)
- PLACE OF SHAME | Ort der Scham (Zürcherstrasse/Nähe Lidl Parkplatz)
- PLACE OF IDEA | Ort der Idee (Zürcherstrasse 223/230, Evangelische Kirche Bruggen)
Hans Ruedi Fricker
Hans Ruedi Fricker (1947–2023) was a conceptual artist from Eastern Switzerland who maintained a worldwide network. With “Rückgrat”, he created one of his most important works. It invites us to look at the city in a new way: not merely as a functional space, but as a poetic landscape that makes emotions, ideas, and tensions visible. I once had the opportunity to do an exhibition where Mr. Fricker gave the laudatory speech. It was a wonderful moment for me, and I was incredibly proud and grateful.
